Issuu

Saturday, 5 November, 2022 I 9 Rabi us Sani, 1444 I Rs 15.00 | Vol XIII No 126 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition

Imran urges contInuatIon of protests untIl ‘suspects’ step down g

says same method used for attack on him as was adopted in taseer’s murder

LAHORE

staff report

ormer prime minister and pti chairman imran khan on friday declared that once he regains his health, he would continue his long march towards islamabad, urging his followers and workers to continue protest against rana sanaullah, shehbaz sharif and the army major-general until they step down from their posts. “i will take to the streets immediately after recovering and will carry on the [march towards] islamabad,” he said while addressing his supporters from shaukat khanum hospital in lahore where is undergoing treatment. the pti chief addressed the nation for the first time after he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt during the party’s long march in wazirabad yesterday. “to ensure an impartial and fair investigation it is necessary for the three top officials to step down as “all agencies are under their control”, imran

Vows to carry forward long march after regaining health

khan pointed out and asked his supporters and workers to “fully participate” in the protest to demand the resignation of the three “suspects”. “never compromise on your independence. protest is your right,” he stressed. he also asked the army chief to make the senior military official resign who he accused of being involved in the assassination attempt. “this general is taking country towards destruction,” said imran while alleging that the same military official was behind the torture on pti leaders shahbaz gill and azam swati. imran khan maintained that it was incumbent upon the army chief to take action against the “black sheep to save country from disintegration”. the chairman pakistan tehreek-e-insaf (pti) claimed of prior knowing about assassination plot against him, saying “i had already learned of being attacked somewhere between wazirabad and gujrat.” in the televised address from shaukat khanum hospital, the pti chief broke his silence and said that he had learning about the threat to

his life beforehand. the chairman pti said that they used same method for his assassination as was used for murder of former punjab governor salman taseer. “they tried to accuse me of blasphemy to turn the public against me,” he maintained. he said that the country’s biggest political party was being pushed against the wall and attempts were being made to kill him. “we have not learned anything from the past like the east pakistan incident. i knew that they will try to kill me when i was leaving for long march,” he said. imran khan said the conspirators decided to kill him as they were wary of his long march and added that he had received reports about his assignation plot from the government officials beforehand. “establishment was taken aback when they saw that the people this time [in april] did not support their decision to topple my government,” he said. imran said establishment is not aware of the ground realities. “despite knowing that the people are not ready to accept this imported government, they [establishment] are bent on enforcing their decision.” the pti chief had sustained a bullet wound to his leg after an armed attack on his container, as he led the pti’s ‘haqeeqi azadi march’ in wazirabad on thursday. the pti chief said his workers and supporters were tortured and intimidated during the party’s last long march because establishment had anticipated that the party will “vanish” though such tactics. “four people made a decision behind closed door to kill me and i had told the nation beforehand. that’s why i had recorded a video naming all four [conspirators].” earlier, at the beginning of his address, khan started berating the incumbent government and lamented how his government was ousted through a motion of no-confidence. “the government could have never lost the no-trust move, but they [the coalition leaders] used money to become successful,” he said, adding that the pti-led government also had the financial means to engage in horse trading but it refrained from doing so. he said that when the pti was in power, the thenopposition took out three long marches against the government but “we didn’t stop anyone.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

PTI chief’s baseless allegations unacceptable, uncalled-for: ISPR RAWALPINDI staff report

the baseless and irresponsible allegations by pti chairman against the institution and particularly a senior army officer are absolutely unacceptable and uncalled-for, said ispr on friday. in a press release ispr, the media of pakistan army, said that pakistan army prides itself for being an extremely professional and well disciplined organisation with a robust and highly effective internal accountability system applicable across the board for unlawful acts, if any, committed by uniformed personnel. however, if the honour, safety and prestige of its rank and file is being tarnished by vested interests through frivolous allegations, the institution will jealousy safeguard its officers and soldiers no matter what, the ispr release added. it said the baseless allegations hurled at the institution/officials today are highly regrettable and strongly condemned. “no one will be allowed to defame the institution or its soldiers with impunity. keeping this in view, the government of pakistan has been requested to investigate the matter and initiate legal action against those responsible for defamation and false accusations against the institution and its officials without any evidence whatsoever”, the ispr said.

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Saturday, 5 November, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

NEWS

PTI workerS STAGe ProTeST AGAINST ASSASSINATIoN ATTeMPT oN IMrAN kHAN

StAff RepoRt

AKISTAN Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters on Friday took to the streets in different parts of the country against the assassination attempt on party chief and former prime minister Imran Khan. At Faizabad Interchange, PTI workers pelted stones at FC and Islamabad police personnel, forcing the law enforcers to fire tear gas shells to disperse the demonstrators. The police also took custody of two PTI workers. The protesters blocked the road leading up to Faizabad, causing problems for the people travelling to Islamabad. After a brief pause, protests at Faizabad resumed with police claiming that the protesters have started setting trees and plants on fire. Islamabad Police said that “armed” protesters have blocked the road, adding that the police were identifying such elements. “Capital Police have started taking action against those who are taking the law into their own hands,” it added.

The police also claimed that they have received complaints about protesters looting valuables from people on motorcycles and cars. Meanwhile, PTI leader and former human rights minister Shireen Mazari has said that protesters were stopped by police at Lahore Cantt. “Peaceful protesters stopped at Lahore Cantt. Punjab Police comes in front line to protect Cantt against peaceful PTI protestors,” she said. PTI women workers also protested against the firing incident in front of the Islamabad Press Club. Meanwhile, Islamabad Police have diverted traffic from Faizabad due to protests. “Traffic coming from Faisal Avenue to Faizabad is diverted to Srinagar Highway,” it said in a traffic alert. It said that traffic coming from Murree Road to Faizabad is diverted to Srinarage Highway from Rawal Dam Chowk whereas traffic arriving from IJP Road to Faizabad is diverted to 9th Avenue at 9th Avenue Signal. The alert said that traffic coming from Koral to Faizabad is diverted to Lehtrar Road

via Khanna Pull. As per media reports, Sindh Police resorted to baton-charge and tear gas shelling to disperse the protesters on Sharea Faisal in Kracahi. The protesters pelted stones at the law enforcers as they tried to prevent them from reaching Metropole Hotel. The police managed to restore traffic on Sharea Faisal after battling with the protesters for two hours. The road from Baloch Colony to Metropole has been cleared for traffic. According to Sindh Police, 20 PTI workers were detained during the protest including women. As per reports, PTI supporters gathered at KhyberPakhtunkhwa’s (K-P) Peshawar Toll Plaza. All workers of the Peshawar district are expected to protest at the toll plaza. Meanwhile, the GT Road from Chakbeli Mor in Rawalpindi was blocked as violent protests erupted against the assassination attempt on the PTI chief. A heavy presence of both motorway police and district police are present at the protest venue.

Moreover, protesters have also set tyres on fire and blocked the road. As a result of the blockade, passengers from both sides of the road are facing problems. PTI workers have also started gathering outside the Allama Iqbal Park in Rawalpindi. Party MNAs Ali Nawaz and Khurram Nawaz are also present at the venue. PTI workers in Karachi now moving towards Metropole from Insaf House on Sharea Faisal. Earlier, people had begin to gather for protest outside Insaf House in Karachi. Karachi police resorted to tear gas shelling and baton-charge to disperse Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protestors on the arterial Sharea Faisal. Heavy contingents of police force deployed at the arterial road to stop the advancement of the PTI protestors. Police officials tried to stop the PTI activists from holding their protest on the road. PTI workers also protested against the attack on the PTI chief at Faizabad Interchange in the twin cities. Protest by PTI workers underway in

Faisalabad. PTI workers in Charsadda are protesting at Farooq Azam Chowk under the leadership of Provincial Law Minister Fazal Shakoor Khan. Workers burned tires, blocking roads and disrupting traffic. Protest outside the Governor House in Lahore turned violent after protesters burnt tyres and damaged public property. They also tried to jump over the official residence’s gate and threw burning tyres inside. The police of the federal capital have asked the Rawalpindi administration to stop protesters from carrying out “illegal actions” while protesting at Faizabad. They added that protesters had pelted police with stones and were carrying sticks and slingshots. A demonstration was also held in Punjab’s Vehari by Central Deputy Secretary Information Zahid Iqbal Chaudhry. A ‘peaceful’ protest is also taking place at the iconic Bab-e-Khyber in KhyberPakhtunkhwa. Earlier, PTI General Secretary Asad Umar announced nationwide protests will be held after Friday prayers and that demonstrations will continue until the demand of PTI Chairman Imran Khan is met. The PTI senior leader took to his Twitter handle to make the announcement just a day after the party chief escaped an assassination attempt. “Today, after the Friday prayer, there will be a protest in the whole country. Until Imran Khan’s demand is met, nationwide protests will continue,” Umar said in the tweet.

Arshad Sharif’s mother moves IHC for copy of autopsy report

Budget deficit surges to rs809 billion in first quarter ISLAMABAD

ISLAMABAD

Staff rePort

The federal government’s budget deficit has increased to Rs. 809 billion mainly due to high debt servicing and low non-tax revenue during the first quarter from July to September of the current fiscal year 2022-23. According to the fiscal operation report released by the Finance ministry, the budget deficit surged to Rs 809 billion during the first quarter of the current fiscal year. According to fiscal operation, the total expenditure of the government surged by Rs. 579 billion to Rs. 2,826 billion from Rs. 2,247 billion mainly due to high debt servicing and defence budget expenditure during the first quarter of the current fiscal year as compared to the same period of the last fiscal year. The current expenditures increased by Rs. 570 billion, from Rs. 1968 billion to Rs. 2538 billion, during the first quarter of the current fiscal year as compared to the same quarter of the last fiscal year. The total revenue during the first quarter of the current fiscal year remained Rs 2,017 billion, including Rs 1782 billion in tax revenue and Rs 235 billion as non-tax revenue. The federal government earned Rs 1,634 billion through tax revenue and Rs. 202 billion through non-tax revenue during the first quarter of the current fiscal year. The provincial governments have earned Rs 148 billion through tax revenue and Rs. 32.76 billion through non-tax revenue during the period. Out of total non-tax revenue, the government has earned Rs. 47.5 billion through petroleum levy, Rs. 28.84 billion through markup (PSEs and others), and Rs. 24.65 billion through dividends. During the period under review, the federal government borrowed Rs. 30.37 billion from external sources and Rs. 778 billion from domestic sources. Out of total debt, the government has obtained Rs. 487.87 billion from the non-banking sector and Rs. 290.5 billion from the banking sector during the first quarter of FY23. The government registered Rs. 145 billion primary budget surplus during the first quarter of the current fiscal year. The data highlights that the debt servicing increased by Rs. 331 billion to Rs. 954 billion from Rs. 623 billion during the first quarter of the current fiscal year as compared to the same threemonth period of the last fiscal year. According to a report, the defence budget increased by Rs. 50 billion, from Rs. 263 billion to Rs. 313 billion, during the first quarter of the current fiscal year as compared to the same period of the last fiscal year. The government has spent Rs. 171.38 billion for payment of pensions to retired employees, Rs. 102 billion for running the civil government, Rs. 92.7 billion for payment of subsidies, and Rs. 199 billion for other government expenditures. The statistical discrepancy was recorded at Rs. 67.63 billion during the first quarter of the current fiscal year which was just Rs. 14 billion during the same period of the last fiscal year. The federal government has transferred Rs. 880 billion to provinces under NFC Award.

Riffat Ara Alvi, mother of slain journalist Arshad Sharif, on Friday approached the Islamabad High Court seeking a copy of autopsy report of her son. In a petition filed by Riffat Ara, she plead with the IHC that she is not being provided with a copy of autopsy report of her son despite visits to administration offices and police station. In the petition, she said that on November 3, the focal person of the family of slain journalist Arshad Sharif asked the administration to provide a copy of autopsy report of Arshad. Upon which the administration said that they don’t have autopsy report and advised the focal person to contact police station. When the family focal person approached the police they suggested him to contact the administration. The petitioner expressed fear that facts could be distorted in the autopsy report. In a petition, the family pleaded with the court that the autopsy report should not be made public out with the family’s consent.

LAHORE: PTI workers and lawyers stage a protest in front of Governor House on The Mall against attempt on life of Imran Khan. Photo by zubair Mehfooz

Govt asks PTI to review security aﬀairs of Imran, other leadership ISLAMABAD Staff rePort

The federal government on Friday asked PTI leadership including Imran Khan to review their security affairs after considering seriousness of the recent incident during long march in Wazirabad. Addressing a press conference here, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah again condemned attack on Imran Khan and other PTI leaders, saying they don’t want to scare or stop this long march but it is necessary to bring these matters to notice. The minister cited the statement PTI leader Asad Omer who told Imran Khan about security threats, but he (Imran Khan) said Allah Almighty would take care. “Ignorance towards security threats by Imran Khan can create unfortunate incidents in future too and we appeal to them to change their attitude and arrange their matters accordingly,” the minister said. “We have no objection to their protest, and long march, we are not afraid, but these are the issues which we want to bring to their notice as these are very important,” the minister added. The minister declared it as sad that PTI chairman Imran Khan blamed people for his attempted assassination without any investigation or proof. “Not only the government condemned this incident but prayed for health of all wounded persons including Imran Khan because we consider him as our political opponent not enemy,” he added. This status of enemy is given by Imran Khan to his opponents not by us and his stubbornness and insistence towards such attitude is really condemnable. He said that police arrested accused red-handed

from the spot and a PTI worker namely Ibtisam assisted in this arrest. In a police station of Gujrat, the statement of accused was recorded but First Information Report (FIR) had not been deliberately registered into this incident as it would be lodged after managing it. The minister said that first part of the statement of accused was released last day in which the accused told about the reasons behind this attack. The Punjab government and its Chief Minister suspended the entire staff of the police station but second part of the statement was also issued after their suspension. The second part of this statement was aired on media and Imran Khan and PTI leaders would have also watched this video. The accusation of the assailant are very much condemnable and we tried to stop further dissemination of this video because it describes about certain statement of Imran Khan and a claim of a woman, he added. The accused termed that he committed this act due to his belief on “Prophethood and Nabuwat.” It could be more damaging if this video got more viral and religious fanatics could get opportunity through it, he said. “Therefore, we appeal to PTI leadership including Imran Khan to review their security affairs after considering the importance and seriousness of this issue and amend their behavior”. He cited the statement of Asad Umer who advised Imran Khan to take threats serious as situation is not good but the latter did not care about it. Such attitude could be more damaging if not amended, the minister said.

LHC admits for hearing plea seeking Imran’s removal as PTI chief LAHoRe Staff rePort

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday accepted for regular hearing a petition seeking directions for removal of Imran Khan as chairman Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) after his disqualification in the Thoshakhana reference. The court issued notices to

Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and other respondents for Nov 11, besides Attorney General for Pakistan and advocate general Punjab. Earlier, LHC Justice Muhammad Sajid Mehmood Sethi had reserved verdict on maintainability of the petition, after hearing initial arguments by the petitioner’s counsel on Thursday. While issuing the verdict on Friday, the court

declared the petition maintainable and issued notices to the respondents. Advocate Muhammad Afaq had filed the petition, wherein the ECP, federal government and others were impleaded as respondents. He submitted that the ECP had disqualified Imran Khan and he had no legal standing to continue as the PTI chairman. He requested the court to issue directions

for removing Imran Khan from the office of PTI chairman and order the party to appoint a new chairman. On October 21, 2022, the ECP had declared Imran Khan guilty of corrupt practices and disqualified him from being a member of the parliament in the Toshakhana case. Imran Khan had challenged the verdict in the Islamabad High Court.

Marriyum condemns vandalism, arson, violence ISLAMABAD Staff rePort

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Friday strongly condemned the vandalism, arson, and violence by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers in the wake of firing at Imran Khan the other day. “Those who have attacked the state properties and set the country on fire cannot be its well-wishers,” she said in a news statement. Referring to Imran Khan’s politics, she said the mindset of “foreign-funded Fitna” had polarized the nation. His politics of confrontation and chaos had inflicted irreparable damage on the country, he added. She questioned why Punjab police had so far not lodged the First Information Report (FIR) of the firing incident.

3,000 visas issued to India’s Sikh pilgrims for Guru Nanak’s birth celebrations StAff RepoRt Pakistan on Friday issued 2,942 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to attend the birth celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak scheduled to be held in Pakistan from November 6 to 15, a statement from the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi said. “The issuance of visas is covered under the framework of the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974,” it added. Every year a large number of Sikh pilgrims from India visit Pakistan to observe various religious festivals and occasions. The visas issued from New Delhi are in addition to the visas granted to Sikh pilgrims participating in these events from other countries. “The issuance of pilgrimage visas to religious pilgrims by the High Commission is in line with the government of Pakistan’s commitment to fully implement the Bilateral Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines between the two countries,” it added. Expressing his views on the auspicious occasion, Charge d’Affaires Aftab Hasan Khan, extended his heartfelt felicitations to the pilgrims and wished them a rewarding and fulfilling yatra. “Pakistan takes immense pride in preserving sacred religious places and providing necessary facilitation to the visiting pilgrims,” he added. During the visit, the pilgrims would, inter alia, go to Dera Sahib, Panja Sahib, Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib.

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Saturday, 5 November, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

NEWS

SToCkS fAll 234 PoINTS IN AfTerMATH of ATTACk oN IMrAN kHAN ISLAMABAD

Staff rePort

TOCKS closed in the red on Friday, with the benchmark KSE-100 index losing 234.4 points, or 0.56 per cent, to close at 41,856.31 points. The index saw an intraday low of 369.81 points, or 0.88pc, around 2:55pm. Head of Equities at Intermarket Securities, Raza Jafri, said the market opened on a weak note as expected after yesterday’s assassination attempt on former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan. “Volumes are thin as investors wait for more

clarity. The near-term outlook depends on if political polarisation intensifies from here on, or if cooler heads prevail and tempers are scaled back,” he commented on the early morning fall. First National Equities Limited Director Amir Shehzad also attributed the stock market’s fall to the attack on Imran. However, since economic conditions were “comparatively better”, unless the PTI called on its workers to resort to violence, the market might recover, he said. Shehzad said the cement sector was showing a very strong performance and a lot of positive outcomes were expected during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed

bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud’s upcoming visit so the market would likely move towards improvement unless there was unrest. A day earlier, Imran was shot at and injured when a suspect, standing in front of the container carrying the PTI chief and senior party leaders, showered a volley of bullets with an automatic pistol when the party’s ‘Haqaaqi Azadi’ march reached Wazirabad’s Allahwala Chowk. It later transpired that a PTI supporter, identified as Muazzam Nawaz, had lost his life, while 14 party leaders and workers, including Senator Faisal Javed Khan, MNA Ahmad Nasir Chattha and Omer Mayar,

Sanaullah engineered attack on PTI chief, alleges Minister LAHoRe Staff rePort

Punjab Minister for Local Government Mian Mehmoodur Rashid has alleged that Rana Sanaullah is plotter of attack on Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan and elected members. Addressing a protest demonstration at Babu Sabu Interchange on Friday, he said that sparking of protest in every nuke and corner of country after Wazirabad

PM informs UN Coordinator about rehab of flood affectees

occurrence was clear proof of love of people for PTI chief. Mian Mehmoodur Rashid said that today Imran Khan had become the leader not only of Pakistan but of the entire Muslim Ummah that is why all major leaders of the world had condemned the assassination attempt on him. He said that the protest would continue until the accused of the murderous attack on Imran are brought to justice. He said that in Wazirabad, the IG and Punjab Police

had shown a failure, so he fully supports Imran Khan’s demand that the IG Punjab should be replaced immediately. The provincial minister said that it was very surprising to get a verbatim statement from the accused in just half an hour after the killing attempt was made. He said that Imran Khan’s history was that he had never bowed down or stopped, so there is full hope from Allah that Imran Khan will definitely bring real freedom to Pakistanis.

Govt, ADB sign $100m financing accord to strengthen KPK’s health system

were among the injured. PTI Chairman Imran Khan, who sustained multiple bullet injuries in his leg, was reported to be stable and shifted to Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital in Lahore. Later after his operation at Shaukat Khanum, the PTI chairman said he was fine and expressed the resolve that the long march would continue and reach Islamabad.

former caretaker PM Balakh Sher Mazari passes away LAHoRe Staff rePort

Former caretaker prime minister Sardar Mir Balakh Sher Mazari passed away in a local hospital on Friday. The former premier has been under treatment at a local hospital for the last three weeks, family sources said in a statement issued here. Mazari served the country as caretaker prime minister, after Nawaz Sharif’s government was dismissed by the then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan in 1993. However his tenure ended soon after the Apex Court revoked the presidential order, and reinstated Nawaz Sharif back as the prime minister. He was the Tumandar (chief-tain) and the paramount head of the Mazari tribe, located on the tri-state area between Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan provinces of the country. Mazari was the 22nd Sardar (chief) and the seventh Mir of the Mazari tribe.

Newly confirmed lHC judges take oath LAHoRe

ISLAMABAD

Staff rePort

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Friday held a meeting with Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator of United Nations, Julien Harnies and informed him about the permanent effects on the lives of people in the areas affected by unprecedented floods. He also informed about the measures taken for the rehabilitation of flood affectees and about the activities of the government for rescue and relief. He said Pakistan was already facing difficult economic conditions and then had to face economic losses of US $40 billion because of floods. The prime minister thanked United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres who came to visit the flood affected areas of Pakistan and became the voice of Pakistanis in the whole world. Julien Harnies expressed sympathy with the flood affectees and reiterated complete support of the United Nations for their rehabilitation. He declared steps taken by government as “exemplary” for the timely rescue, rehabilitation and restoration of the affectees.

Pakistan and Asian Development Bank (ADB) here on Friday signed an agreement for worth $100 million for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Systems Strengthening Program. The financing agreement was signed by Federal Economic Affairs Secretary Dr Kazim Niaz and ADB Country Director Yong Ye A while the program agreement was also signed between the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government and ADB for the implementation of the program in the province. The signing ceremony was also witnessed by Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Minister for Economic, Political Affairs and Law and Justice, according to a statement issued by the ministry. According to details, the results-based loan program would help improve delivery of health services at secondary hospitals by modernizing infrastructure and equipment; ensure clinical protocols, standards, and guidelines are implemented; and improving human resources planning and medicine supply chain management. The program aims at transforming Khyber

Staff rePort

Pakhtunkhwa’s Secondary Healthcare (SHC) System by upgrading infrastructure of 33 existing SHC facilities, providing quality equipment and ensuring posting and availability of medical, technical, and administrative staff. It would also ensure efficient outsourcing of certain services to the private sector; introducing and enhancing health management information systems including electronic medical records; and introducing quality assurance regimes.

The newly confirmed 11 judges of the Lahore High Court (LHC) took oath of their office here on Friday. LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti administered oath to the newly confirmed judges in a simple but impressive ceremony held at the LHC lawn. The confirmed judges who took oath include Justice Shakil Ahmad, Justice Safdar Saleem Shahid, Justice Ahmad Nadeem Arshad, Justice Muhammad Tariq Nadeem, Justice Muhammad Amjad Rafiq, Justice Abid Hussain Chattha, Justice Anwaar Hussain, Justice Ali Zia Bajwa, Justice Sultan Tanvir Ahmad, Justice Muhammad Raza Qureshi and Justice Raheel Kamran. The LHC judges, including Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan, Justice Shahid Waheed, Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan and Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh, Prosecutor General Punjab Khaleequz Zaman, Lahore High Court Bar Association President Sardar Ali Akbar Dogar and other Bar representatives, law officers and a large number of lawyers were also present.

lHC hints at imposing work from-home policy amid smog LAHoRe

FBR tasked with conducting probe into fake supplies in Sugar sector ISLAMABAD Shahzad Paracha

The Federal Tax Ombudsman has directed FBR to conduct an incisive investigation regarding the phenomenon of fake supplies in the sugar sector across the country. As per details, a complainant associated with the medicine business requested the FTO to direct FBR to carry out an investigation into the phenomenon of fake supplies in the sugar sector across the country. The main facts of the case are, the complainant is engaged in the sale of medicines at small scale in Lakki Marwat and the monthly rent of his medical store is Rs8,000.

He was shocked to receive notice from RTO Peshawar showing Rs13.590 million supply from a few sugar mills, as his identity card was being misused by the main dealer of sugar mills. Complainant submitted an affidavit to concerned tax officers of RTO, Peshawar, disowning the receipt of supplies. He also submitted bank statements showing his turn over and financial position. However, no action was taken against the real culprit. The FTO has observed that no meaningful investigation had been conducted either by RTO Peshawar or any other tax officer concerned. Instead of investigating alleged fake supplies and the dubious role of main dealer of sugar mills, the tax officers had issued show cause notices to the

complainant. The arbitrary, whimsical action coupled with inattention and ineptitude on part of RTO’s Peshawar tantamount to maladministration as denied under section 2 (3) (i) (b) (c) & (ii) of FTO ordinance. Accordingly, Tax Ombudsman has directed FBR to conduct incisive investigation regarding allegations leveled & surfaced during the instant complaint especially with reference to sugar mills and alleged conduct of main dealer of sugar mills and to instruct all directorates of I &I to conduct these investigations in their respective jurisdictions with reference to high turnover sectors like cement, sugar, steel ,cigarette ,Beverages and fertilizers.

Staff rePort

Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday hinted at imposing a work-from-home (WFH) policy for 2 days a week amid the increasing problem of smog in the province. According to details, a hearing was held in the Lahore High Court on the petitions moved for seeking the remedy to address the smog issue. The performance report of the Punjab government regarding smog was presented by the advocate general Ahmed Owais, in the court. Advocate General Punjab Ahmed Owais said that Punjab chief minister Pervaiz Elahi held a meeting regarding smog and has given orders to the relevant institutions regarding smog. Ahmed Owais said that the deputy commissioner in Sheikhupura fined people more for than Rs4 million. During the hearing, the LHC hinted at the imposition of the work-from-home (WFH) policy for 2 days in the offices in a week and the bench remarked that orders that would be released today will be for the different institutions including the private sector.

ECC allows to increase petroleum levy to Rs50 per litre ISLAMABAD Staff rePort

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) allowed to increase petroleum levy from Rs 30 up to Rs 50 per liter on RON 95 and above with effect from November 16, 2022. According to details, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar presided over the meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) at the Finance Division, today. The Federal Board of Revenue

presented a summary on the increase in rate of Sales Tax on HOBC. It was conveyed that the rates of Sales Tax on POL products were reduced to zero from 1st February, 2022, that put pressure on FDR’s efforts to achieve its revenue targets. Therefore, the ECC after deliberation allowed an increased petroleum levy from Rs 30 up to Rs. 50/Liter on RON 95 and above with effect from 16th November, 2022, which is a luxury good being consumed by wealthy consumers in expensive vehicles. The Ministry of energy (Petroleum

Division) also submitted a summary on High Speed Diesel/ Gas oil premium and

informed that due to difference of premium on import of HSD for importing OMCs and PSO, there is an unsustainable position for importing OMCs and smooth supply of HSD in the country. In order to ensure sustained supply/import security, the ECC after detailed discussion allowed premium on HSD subject to maximum capping at US$ 15/BBL for importing OMCs other than PSO for the months of November and December, 2022. The ECC also approved Technical Supplementary Grants of Rs. 5 billion for

conduct of 7th population census. Federal Minister of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Mr. Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Power Mr. Khurram Dastgir Khan, Mr. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi MNA/ex-PM, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Dr. Aisha Ghous Pasha, Minister of State for Petroleum Mr. Musadik Masood Malik, SAPM on Finance Mr. Tariq Bajwa, SAPM on Revenue Mr. Tariq Pasha, Federal Secretaries, Chairman FBR and other senior officers attended the meeting.

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Saturday, 5 November, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

04 NEWS

PoLItICaL PartIEs nEEd to stay PEaCEfuL as Country Can’t afford morE traGEdIEs: Haq LAHORE

staff rePort

MEEr Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), Sirajul Haq has urged the political parties, their workers to stay peaceful and said in prevailing circumstance, the country could not afford more tragedies and mishaps. In a statement issued from Mansoorah

on Friday, he termed the combat among the political parties a serious threat to already fragile democracy. Sirajul Haq said that the leadership of the political parties need to sit together for concerted efforts to find solution to the prevailing crises. Institutions should work within their domain defined in the constitution as rule of law was the key to put the country on track,

ECP reschedules Islamabad LG polls ISLAMABAD staff rePort

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday rescheduled the local government elections in Islamabad with the polls now set to take place on December 31. The electoral watchdog had earlier announced holding local bodies elections on December 24. According to the schedule, the date for submission of nominations would be from November 7 to 11, he added. The ECP would scrutinize the nomination papers from Nov 15 to 18. The election commission will issue the final list of candidates on November 29 and symbols would be allotted to candidates on December 1, as per the schedule. Meanwhile, a ban has been implicated on posting and transfers after the announcement of the schedule of the local bodies’ polls. In another development, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to take up the case pertaining to local government (LG) elections in Karachi on November 9.

recovery of former prime ministers and his injured colleagues and workers. Siraj also prayed for the soul of the PTI worker who lost his life during firing on PTI long-march in Wazirabad. He said the attack raised a question mark on the ability of Punjab government to protect its leader. If a government could not ensure protection to a political leader what would be the situation of a common

he said. The JI chief was of the view that there was no room for violence and extremism in politics and added that the situation could further worsen the crisis if sanity was not prevailed particularly at a time when the national economy and governance was on the verge of collapse. He condemned the attack on PTI Chairman Imran Khan and prayed for the quick

man, he said. The JI emir said the incumbent and previous governments failed to provide any relief to the masses. Poverty, inflation and unemployment made the people frustrated while the ruling elite enjoyed all the luxuries, he said. The two percent ruling elite were responsible to the country’s problems, he said, adding people should reject the tested parties and vote for the JI to bring real change. “We are not against any individual but fighting against the corrupt system.” Only Islamic system, he said, provided solution to the country’s problems. He said the JI was uniting the youth in all parts of the country to bring real change, inviting the people to join the ranks of the JI to get rid of the status quo.

CM Elahi approves purchase of new CT scan, Thallium scan machine for PIC LAHORE staff rePort

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Friday accorded approval of the purchase of new CT scan and Thallium scan machine for Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC). He was chairing a meeting to review the matters on Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) at CM’s office. CEO PIC Dr Bilal Mohyuddin briefed about the institutional performance and told that free medicines were being given to about 2500 patients daily. The chief minister directed the specialized healthcare and medical education dept to take necessary steps to buy the machines without delay, and added that a new pharmacy would be established for free medicines so that the patients may not have to

go to the upper floor to fetch their medicines. The CM also approved solarising PIC and directed that a plan be prepared in consultation with the energy department. Similarly, steps should also be taken to regularise the contract employees according to the policy formulated, he added. The chief minister said that a plan should be made for the expansion of the pharmacy stores, and added that the plan be finalized, in partnership with the communication and works department, for the construction of the cardiology tower. Alongside this, recruitment should be done according to the rules and regulations on the approved vacancies of janitorial and security staff, he further said. Principal Secretary to CM Muhammad Khan Bhatti, special secretary specialized healthcare and medical education and others were also present.

Pak-Afghanistan bilateral trade surges to $741m ISLAMABAD shahzad Paracha

The bilateral trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan has surged to $741 million during the first four months of current fiscal year. According to details, trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan is growing rapidly as trade volume surged to $741 million from July to October 2022. The bilateral trade between both countries was $451 million during Jul-October in 2021, depicting an increase of 64% in the July-Oct 2022 comparable to the same months of 2021. Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan remained $333 million in July-Oct 2022, whereas Pakistan’s imports from Afghanistan

were $408 million in July-Oct 2022. An increase of 204% witnessed in the export of pharma products, 53% rice, 40% animal/veg fats & oils, 142% plastics & its products, 87% food preparations, 133% chewing gum, 172% oilcake & other solid residues, 89% aluminum & its products, 61% wood and articles and 22% increase in export of fruits & vegetables witnessed in first four months in the same period. On the other hand, an increase of 65% in imports were also witnessed in Coal, 60% Cotton and 282% in onion in the same period. Meanwhile, Pakistan also imported Grapes, Fresh strawberries, Tomatoes, Apples, Waste and Scrap of Iron and Steel, Cucumbers, Dried apricots, Feldspar, and Zinc ores

MoST notifies unlawful DPC promoted oﬃcials despite Minister’s opposition ISLAMABAD Ghulam abbas

In a surprising move, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) notified promoted officials/employees of Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), an attached department of MoST, despite unlawful departmental promotions declared by its own Minister Agha Hassan Baloch. Federal Minister for Science and Technology Agha Hassan Baloch, who took serious notice of unlawful DPC for employees of BS-1-16 and BS-18 to 19 of PSQCA and not only canceled the DPC but also removed head of PSQCA from his post, seems to have again been kept under dark as the ministry has notified promotion of all those included in the DPC. According to documents available, the Ministry on October 24, 2022 notified the promotion of at least 16 employees despite a clear direction from the federal minister who through a written directive as chairman of PSQCA Board had not only canceled already held DPC but also had postponed the promotion process till appointment of regular Director General of the authority.

from Afghanistan in July to October 2022. Sources said that there are some challenges in Pakistan and Afghanistan trade including slow clearance on entry/exit points due to infrastructure and congestion of trucks and little space at border points especially Torkham. Controls/ban on key products of our export interest like sugar & wheat flour and slump in cement exports due to no developmental projects by Taliban government and low-cost Iranian cement. The Afghan government has opened its borders with Iran, Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan due to which their exports are on rise and importantly, China has become the 2nd largest export partner of Afghanistan.

Saturday, 5 November, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

PDMA ALErTS ADMIn To rAInS, SnowfALL forECAST froM ToDAy LaHore

Staff RepoRt

HE Meteorological Department has issued an alert, which said that a series of western winds would enter the country Friday evening and would remain till Nov 7, causing rains and snowfall on the mountains, said the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority. According to PDMA Director

General (DG) Faisal Farid, from Nov 5 to 7, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Murree, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Sialkot, Narowal, Gujranwala, Gujarat, Mianwali, Khushab, Sargodha, Hafizabad Jhang and Faisalabad would experience strong winds and thunder with a possibility of rain. However, Murree, Islamabad, Gujarat, Gujranwala and Sialkot are expected to receive heavy rain from Nov 5 to 6. He informed that from Nov 6 to 7,

Imran urges continuation of protests until ‘suspects’ step down continued from page 01 Khan accused the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and said that the body was involved with the incumbent government to sideline the PTI. The former premier added that the ECP became a tool of the coalition government to disqualify him in the Toshakhana reference. “In the July 17 byelection, the ECP resorted to all sorts of rigging tactics,” he alleged. “They employed all maneuvers to discredit me, resorted to mudslinging, and filed cases against me.” He added that accusations levelled against him in the Toshakhana case are baseless as all the records are available in the Toshakhana. “Despite knowing nothing could be stolen from the Toshakhana, the ECP disqualified me in that case because they wanted to create a level-playing field for Nawaz Sharif. Khan added that he cannot be compared to the [Sharif family] which has billions of assets abroad and live in the most expensive apartments in London. He stated that the party would approach the court against the ECP’s decision to disqualify him, claiming that Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja was a “servant of the Sharif family”. HEALTH CONDITION SATISFACTORY Earlier, Imran Khan asked Dr Faisal Sultan to brief the masses about his health condition while revealing that he was hit by four bullets. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman was examined by a medical board, after which all the medical reports of the former prime minister were declared satisfactory. Medical board has allowed Imran Khan to walk and use toilets. The PTI chairman insists on discharge today, but the doctors have advised him of one day rest. Hospital administration has said that Imran Khan does not need further tests, he has not been stopped from eating and drinking anything. According to sources in the medical board, Imran Khan’s right leg was operated for two hours, chairman PTI suffered four injuries on the leg, there was no bone damage. The medical board says that all kinds of particles were removed during the operation, it was necessary to examine from every angle during the operation, the operation was small but time was needed for complete examination.

various cities including Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bhakkar, Layyah, Sahiwal, Okara, Rajanpur and Muzaffargarh would receive moderate rain with gusty winds and thundershowers. He said the day temperature in the upper parts of the country would drop by 5 to 7 degrees Celsius, while in the southern regions it would lower by 2 degrees Celsius. There is a possibility of a decrease of 4 degrees Celsius and as soon as the rains end, the upper regions of the country would be in the

grip of severe cold. He said rice harvesting might also be affected by rains, though it would prove beneficial for wheat sowing. The PDMA DG said the administration across Punjab should make preparations for dealing with the emergency situation and issue instructions to the staff of the District Emergency Operation Centres to be on alert round the clock. He added that citizens should call PDMA’s helpline 1129 in case of emergency.

VC feted as UoG catapults on top ranking varsities’ list LaHore Staff RepoRt

The University of Gujrat (UoG) has been included among world’s top 1001 to 1200 universities by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023. The Times rankings take into account an institution’s performance across four areas – teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook. This year’s rankings include 1,799 universities from 104 countries and regions. Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr Shabbar Atiq received an award during a ceremony organised by the Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) honouring the vice chancellors of 15 universities in the province for their invaluable roles in promoting the cause of higher education in the country. The UoG faculty of engineering, however, was placed among top 500 to 600, while faculty of science among the top 600 to 800 universities category.

NEWS

ECP revises ICT LG elections schedule iSLamaBad Staff RepoRt

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has revised the already notified poll day for the conduct of Local Government (LG) elections in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), fixing December 31, 2022 (Saturday) as poll day. According to ECP notification, the commission issued this in exercise of the power conferred upon it under Articles 140 (A) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Section 58 and 229 of the Election Act, 2017, read with Section 17 of the Islamabad Capital Territory, Local Government Act, 2015 and all other powers.

SC to take up 25 PTI defectors’ plea against de-seating on 9th iSLamaBad Staff RepoRt

The Supreme Court will take up for hearing an appeal against the de-seating of 25 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members Punjab Assembly (MPAs) on November 9. A three-member SC bench comprising Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Ayesha A Malik would hear the case against the ECP order. Defecting from PTI, these members had voted in favour of PML-N Vice President Hamza Shehbaz Sharif in the election for the Punjab Chief Minister held on April 16. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) denotified these alleged defectors on May 23. The MPAs included five elected on seats reserved for women and minorities after a reference filed by PTI Chairman Imran Khan, seeking the removal of defectors from the assembly. Later, the de-seated MPAs moved the Supreme Court against the ECP ruling.

Dost Mazari sent to jail on judicial remand LaHore Staff RepoRt

The UoG ranked 23rd among Pakistani universities and 9th among public sector universities in Punjab by Times Higher Education rankings for 2023. The PHEC ceremony, titled “Climbing up the Ladder” was chaired by Mian Imran Masood, Chairman of the Task Force of Chief Minister of Punjab for Edu-

China shows keen interest in development projects of Pakistan: Dar iSLamaBad Staff RepoRt

Minister for Finance Senator Ishaq Dar on Friday said that China is showing keen interest in development projects of Pakistan including the ML-I Railway track from Karachi to Peshawar, China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and Karachi Circular Railway (KCR). Talking to staterun Ptv, Dar said the Chinese government and companies had given a positive response to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who officially visited the neighboring country for reviving business ties on a fast-track. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) last regime had tried to disturb the relations with friendly countries, he observed. The previous government had also damaged the economic and export sectors, he stated.

cation, secretary HED and Prof. Dr Shahid Munir, Chairman PHEC. Prof Dr Shabbar Ateeq Vice Chancellor University of Gujrat received the shield for UOG, he was accompanied by his team including Prof. Director QEC Dr Rashid Saeed and Director ORIC Prof. Dr Audil Rasheed accompanied the vice chancellor.

A judicial magistrate on Friday sent the former deputy speaker Punjab Assembly Dost Muhammad Mazari to jail on judicial remand. Mazari was sent to jail on judicial in a case of alleged illegal allotment of 2,500 Kanal lands in the Rajanpur district. Moreover, after hearing arguments the court rejected the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) request for extension in the physical remand of the former deputy speaker. Earlier, a magistrate extended the physical remand of the former deputy speaker of Punjab Assembly Dost Muhammad Mazari in a case of alleged illegal allotment of 2,500 Kanal lands in the Rajanpur district.

06-07 Comments - 5th November 2022_Layout 1 11/5/2022 12:10 AM Page 1

Saturday, 5 November, 2022

06 COMMENT

Generals’ press conference

Assassination attempt aftermath Imran Khan’s speech from hospital not as calming as needed

The country’s future is going to be interesting

Fter the assassination attempt on Pti chief imran Khan on thursday, Friday was a day of rage for Pti supporters. there battles between enraged party supporters and police all over the country, with tear gas being fired liberally. the attempt on Governor’s House lahore was perhaps the most egregious, as it involved using burning tires in an attempt to burn down its gate. the protests in lahore do not seem to have made that much sense, for the Punjab government was formed by the Pti, which had installed a SaCM in former Governor umar Sarfraz Cheema to assist interior Minister aslam iqbal, who had only recently assumed the portfolio after Col (retd) Hashim Dogar resigned. Mr Khan’s much-awaited speech, which took place from his hospital bed, did not have the appeal to maintain the peace that would have cyted to calm the situation, but told party workers that they had a right to protest. He also did not take back the claim released by party Secretary General asad umar, which held three persons responsible for the attempt, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, interior Minister rana Sanaullah and the iSi’s DG-C, Maj Gen Faisal naseer. instead, he said he had learnt of a plan that day to kill him in Wazirabad or Gujrat. He also repeated his previous claim that they wished to claim he was guilty of blasphemy and the assassin would use this as an excuse. He also repeated the claim that he had made a videotape of the closed-door meeting where the conspiracy was hatched, which he had ordered released if anything happened to him. His speech included a call to keep protesting until the resignation of those concerned, and a promise that the long March would continue. Meanwhile, the Punjab police had arrested the man who had sold the assassin a weapon and ammunition, but there was no official indication about a second shooter, even his existence is being freely speculated about. the federal government has asked the Punjab government to constitute a Joint investigation team. the federal and Punjab governments can be left to trade accusations, but the nation cannot be healed unless it gets answers to the many questions that still hang over the assassination attempt. at the moment, it is healing it needs most, and SaPM Qamaruz Zaman Kaira’s call for dialogue, which he claimed was a private initiative, but which was given much play on official media, shows that the government is probably ready to negotiate with the Pti. it would be bad for the entire nation, not just its supporters, if it was to let slip the opportunity.

n october 27, Director General of the inter-Services intelligence (iSi) lt Gen nadeem ahmed anjum and Director General of the inter-Services Public relations (iSPr) lt Gen Babar iftikhar held a press conference primarily to speak on the killing of journalist arshad Sharif and the questionable narrative of the former Prime Minister, imran Khan, spoiling the army’s repute. Both generals tried to exonerate the name of the army from playing any role in the homicide of the late journalist, who lost his life in Kenya. Similarly, both generals tried to explain how Khan’s narrative regarding the cypher was a farce. Further, they claimed a media channel, ary news, was involved in targeting the army. it was apparent that the coercion of time brought both the generals to holding the talk. Both generals tried to reposition the army in the equation of credibility primarily for the locals but also for the international citizens. Both generals were open to all kinds of punitive media questions to achieve the objectives of the talk. in a way, the press conference was an act of admission of the interference of the army in politics – the act which is proscribed constitutionally. Both generals expressed the resolve of the army– the high command– not to indulge in politics again. unfortunately, both generals remained reticent about what brought the situation to such a pass: what made the hybrid regime experiment fail? With the wrapping up of the experiment, particular politicians are the first layer to abandon, specific journalists and analysts are the second one, and the followers of such politicians and media personalities are the third layer to forsake. all the three layers are piqued at the army. in totality, the army’s withdrawal has caused a major commotion socio-politically, to evade which the army decided to send its generals to the public. there is a fourth layer: the higher judiciary, which must have felt expended. the judiciary remained instrumental in going out of its way to help

Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

Umar Aziz

Joint Editor

Executive Editor

There are, however, two sufficient reasons for optimism. First, Pakistan has to rely on geoeconomic strategies to lift its economy and service the foreign debt. Pakistan needs investment in its infrastructure to enhance trade and business. Not the Army but the civilians can do this. Even the hybrid regime experiment was martial law in retreat. Second, the youth, most of whom feel they have been spent in the cause of the hybrid regime experiment, is bound to react against the Army.

dr QAisAr rAshid

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

M. A. Niazi

the army make the experiment of the hybrid regime successful. the willingness of the higher judiciary to kowtow to its uniformed master attracted a blotch on its reputation as an independent adjudicator. expecting co-evolution with the army, the higher judiciary strategised the link-minded bench, straightening out any bent. Post-press conference, the higher judiciary stands in the middle of nowhere. in disbelief, it is readying for eating its words– the past decisions– to weather the onslaught of shifting realities. the press talk was also an open message of abandonment to the section of the media which was relying on the backing of the army to roil politics in Khan’s favour. the section got disillusioned and its members are fleeing the country to ward off any instant reprisals. For their social survival, members of this section have taken the moral high ground: they have served the larger interests of Pakistan. this was despite the fact that they earned a lot of money in the process of political manoeuvring. interestingly, this was the same moral high ground that the army used to launch the hybrid regime experiment to steer the country to promised salvation. Certainly, the hybrid regime experiment was a giant one to start and carried a tremendous cost to desert. tyranny is that those who have been abandoned are groping in the dark to figure out what made the project botched, despite the fact that they were putting their best foot forward. the discussion invites the next best question: will the army stay apolitical at least in the coming decade? the probable answer is in the negative. there are two cogent reasons for pessimism. First, Pakistan’s obsession with its geo-strategic position will keep the army involved in national decision making. it also means that the army would carry a veto power to disagree with a choice. Mere disagreement is not a big problem; the problem is when the army sorts out alternative solutions– such as the hybrid regime experiment– to force its decision on the civilians. Second, the slate of politics cannot stay cleansed

of corruption. Political incompetence would stand in attendance. acts of corruption are an incitement to the army to jump into the political fray. the semblance of the moral high ground is always available to meddle in political affairs and correct the course. there are, however, two sufficient reasons for optimism. First, Pakistan has to rely on geo-economic strategies to lift its economy and service the foreign debt. Pakistan needs investment in its infrastructure to enhance trade and business. not the army but the civilians can do this. even the hybrid regime experiment was martial law in retreat. Second, the youth, most of whom feel they have been spent in the cause of the hybrid regime experiment, is bound to react against the army. the spent generation may not endure the feeling of relinquishment. this generation is of two types. one, which is mostly educated in private colleges and universities, and not in government-run institutes, uses its independent mind, no matter how callow the minds might be. Members of this generation are neither impressed by, nor fearful of, the Kakul graduates. this generation determines the worth by one’s intellect and not by one’s uniform. the same factor makes it a generation disrespectful of the authoritative norms. this generation might be moved by emotive nationalistic songs but it is unaware of the existence of the country’s ideological boundaries which are under the custody of the army. this generation is aware that, in its experiment, the army used it as a soft proxy. this generation is more inclined to migrate to foreign lands than remain attached to the country. this generation is bound to offer the most resistance to the hegemony of the army, besides taking revenge for abandonment. the second type of spent generation survives in Madrassas. once it was a hard proxy; however, the changing regional scenario, besides immense counter-terrorism international pressure, has rendered it redundant. that is its grievance. in short, it would be interesting to watch how the apolitical position of the army goes with the future of Pakistan. The writer is a freelance journalist and can be reached at qaisarrashid@yahoo.com

Political leaders and assassinations– an old relationship The attempt on Imran Khan is just the latest

AsAd MArwAt “The important thing to know about an assassination or an attempted assassination is not who fired the shot, but who paid for the bullet.” –—English author Eric Ambler.

evolutionary ideas-driven political leaders around the developing world have an unenviable history with their lifeline, and they are victimised, more often than not, brutally enough to the extent of their life. While this says volumes about moral failure, it simultaneously delivers a fair reflection about the political intolerance of the certain strata for whom personal interests surpass every moral value. Being a part of the developing world already undone by economic woes, this stigma adds to the havoc. Pakistan tops the awful list of leaders’ assassina-

tion attempts as well. like most of our national troubles, it also takes roots from the very inception. Political leaders of Pakistan and their assassination attempts are inexorably intertwined. attempts on numerous politicians had been made to take their lives, sometimes due to the opposition intolerance and prejudice, while on other instances due to the state commands. to start with, Pakistan’s first Prime Minister, liaqat ali Khan, had been a victim of political violence. He was shot dead on 16 october 1951, in the Company Bagh, rawalpindi on the stage, albeit the place was renamed ‘liaqat Bagh’, which only exacerbated the misery of the loss. according to the media, the killer was shot dead at the very moment. Hence, no further full-blown investigations were made about the assassin except the information about his afghan origin. the only Muslim woman to have been Prime Minister twice, Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, was also assassinated in the same city on 27 December 2007, despite being escorted by a superlatively loaded security due to death threats at the same place. later, the widower, asif ali Zardari, didn’t allow the post mortem of her body, which is to ascertain the guilty. Hence, the shooters were never caught. it probably seems that ‘rawalpindi’ doesn’t like the populist leaders, or it can be a mere coincidence. But no matter how much one disagrees with the strategic stances of Benazir Bhutto, her popularity among the masses was unquestionable. yet, her murder gave another demonstration of how Pakistan’s soil, due to certain ‘evil-elite’ tendencies, is never an embracing place for such masses-approved leaders. Zulfikar ali Bhutto, another stalwart, revolutionaryminded political leader of Pakistan, was hanged by the military regime of Zia-ul-Haq, which a portion of the population still labels an unjust verdict for such a great

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leader, inching it closer to be called as an assassination by the state. later, his elder son, Mir Murtaza Bhutto, was also murdered in 1996 in Karachi. this list can pro-

The retrospective study of our history stands evident to the countless avoidable horrors that our ‘elites’ embraced deliberately for personal dividends. Surrounded by the dreadful casualties, heinous desires of inhumane activities, and assassination attempts like these, courtesy; vested interests, the massive growing youth stands in dismay about Pakistan as a nation.

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ceed on and has no terminus. lately, Pti chairman and ex-PM imran Khan had been receiving death threats. after his ouster by the national assembly from the PM’s office, he has apparently gained a much lively support, which was proven by the recent by-elections in which he contested for seven out of eight national assembly seats and won six, denoting a fair share of support after his expulsion. on november 3, during his long March towards rawalpindi, at Wazirabad a shooter attempted to take his life, but proceeded in vain by not accomplishing the ‘given mission’ of his murder. albeit it injured Senator Daisal Javed, Pti senior member, and a few Pti workers, no serious damage has been reported yet far, apart from one person who was killed. this event is an alarming call for us as a nation, not because it was an attempt of murder of imran Khan, but because after a fair patch of low terrorism, we are again submerging into the labyrinths of terror in the society. assisted by the infiltration of taliban into Khyber Pakthunkhwa, the attempted murder of the populist leader added insult to injury. the inquiries are yet to proceed, but the history reflects the fact that in this state, personal interest overcomes any other virtue of morality. Below-the-belt crimes followed by a failed inquiry, partially due to the police inept and massively due to the judicial failure, has become a norm. the retrospective study of our history stands evident to the countless avoidable horrors that our ‘elites’ embraced deliberately for personal dividends. Surrounded by the dreadful casualties, heinous desires of inhumane activities, and assassination attempts like these, courtesy; vested interests, the massive growing youth stands in dismay about Pakistan as a nation. The author is a freelance writer and holds interest in the international politics concerning Pakistan, and can be reached at asad.mrwt.37@gmail.com

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

06-07 Comments - 5th November 2022_Layout 1 11/5/2022 12:10 AM Page 2

Saturday, 5 November, 2022

COMMENT 07 Editor’s mail

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan today exclusively

Jhelum in Bad Shape

JHeluM, as things stand today, is a city of broken roads and stagnant water. after the monsoon, things have only gotten worse and people have to go through misery every single day as the city administration has proved itself to be good for nothing. it is not even trying to do something about the horrible situation that is prevailing in the city. the situation is getting worse by the day. the administration really needs to wake up and look into the matter before more destruction occurs. KHANSA ABRAR JHELUM

Weapons of destruction WeaPonS are tricky. they can save and take lives. Some people use them with caution, while others use them casually and unnecessarily. For many people, using weapons is a part of their culture, but for others it is frightening and worrisome. in the wake of recent floods, a lot of internally displaced people can be seen in urban areas who move around with weapons. With the recent spike in street crimes, carrying weapons in public only adds to the trouble of the locals. MUZAMIL KHERO KARACHI

Journalists’ safety

Economic Nosedives What ails the economy?

dr Abdus sAttAr AbbAsi

t was indeed a pleasure delivering a talk recently to accomplished professionals about economic nosedives of the country with special emphasis on causes and remedies. When i entered the hall a workshop on learning arabic was in progress. the facilitator, a British Pakistani, also invited me to participate in an exercise on some fundamental conversational vocabulary. Historical data shows that Pakistan has not been able to sustain growth for long periods. rather, it has had short growth sprints followed by nosedives. this is because economic policies are subject to change with the changes in government corridors. this implies that when governments are concluding their terms they ignore long-term implications of spending and utilize funds for their immediate political concerns to secure maximum seats in coming elections at the cost of national reserves; this is clearly evident from at least the last three tenures of three different political parties. During the fifth year in the office governments hastily extended unplanned subsidies and threw funds carelessly to constituency-specific projects to win voters for the forthcoming polling. this trend suggests reflecting on our policy of framing five-year financial plans. it would be better to have legislation for 10-year financial plans with the consensus of all parties in Parliament while the cycle of the government should remain the same five years. it will ensure continuity of policies and liberate outgoing governments from the urgencies of accommodating immediate demands. State-owned white elephants are a double burden on the economy. organizations which are supposed to earn and contribute to the GDP of the country are actually eating up what is earned by some of the state-owned enterprises. according to Dr ishrat Hussain, “Currently we have 212 stat- owned enterprises (Soes). 85 are commercial Soes while another 83 are subsidiaries attached to one or another Soe; 44 are non-commercial entities (such as trusts, foundations, regulatory bodies, universities, research and training institutions, promotional and advocacy bodies and welfare funds). these Soes make up 98 percent of the government’s assets and account for almost 100 percent of losses. the top ten loss-making Soes contribute around 90 percent to the total loss of the government. the set includes nHa, Pakistan railways, Pia, Pakistan Steel, five power sector DiSCos and

ZtBl. Soes are a major drain on the country’s budget and consume public resources without any guilt or hesitation. these corporate giants have been maintained by successive governments to fulfill their own political agendas. Governments have blatantly resorted to granting excessive and out-of-merit employment at all levels in these organizations, causing acute inefficiencies and deep-rooted corruption. in the financial year (Fy) 2019-20, the commercial Soes collectively recorded net losses of rs. 143 billion. oil and Gas companies show net profits of rs. 242 billion while infrastructure companies (Pia, railways, nHa, Post office etc.) show net losses of rs. 267 billion and power companies of rs 117 billion.” Foreign direct investment (FDi) is extremely important for an economy. FDi helps generate employment, contributes to GDP growth and boosts foreign currency reserves. During Fy 2021, the net foreign direct investment (FDi) dropped by more than 28 percent. including uncertain government policies there is nothing right to attract FDi, factor costs, transport costs, political environment, exchange rate, trade openness, tax rates, infrastructure, and property rights: every dimension needs serious attention of policy makers to facilitate foreign investors to explore untapped opportunities in the fifth biggest market of the world. the parking of capital in real estate is the big challenge for coming governments. the obsession with real estate has understandable foundations and originates in a fundamentally good idea: the need to buy assets that generate inflation-beating returns. But it has gone too far and is now starting to create a drag on economic growth, investment opportunities, and housing affordability. there are some leading entrepreneurs who opted to invest in real estate due to attractive profits and less volatility. they blame government policies for not promoting investments in the manufacturing sector which has a better potential to provide employment. Construction sector does serve as a driver for several linked industries, but when it dumps capital in nonproductive tower blocks in mushroom residential societies, it becomes a real burden on the economy of the country. Government needs to introduce policies which can divert the capital to the employment intensive sectors for better productivity and economic growth.

a young population has exceptional potential to contribute towards the development of the economy particularly in the technology and startup sector, which is thriving, and the government has so far taken some initiatives to facilitate them, but still there is a long way to go. Market development is the key for the progress of any economy. We hardly observe any initiative from relevant departments for market development in countries where we have few satisfied customers. Market development in international societies is a costly affair and needs government intervention to support businesses back at home by enhancing demand for those products in which we have absolute or comparative advantage over our competitors. on the other hand, international business development is the process to identify new markets, nurture and acquire new clients and business opportunities to drive growth in the demand of your core products to contribute to the increased profitability of your businesses in your country of origin. it has generally been observed that customers from international markets are better aware of our strengths and coordinate exactly with those industries and businesses that can fulfill their expectations and deliver on the promise. But we hardly experience any policy or practical intervention by relevant departments to attract and facilitate potential international clients to visit Pakistan and explore opportunities to get better products. Mismanagement of different government departments and organizations has always been discussed and the same happened during the Q&a session; it was the general consensus that there is no dearth of competence in the country, but it is probably the sense of responsibility and initiative which generally lacks in our government departments and organizations that costs us heavily in terms of economic nosedives and otherwise relatively poor performance and mismanagements in key areas and during critical events.

Mismanagement of different government departments and organizations has always been discussed and the same happened during the Q&A session; it was the general consensus that there is no dearth of competence in the country, but it is probably the sense of responsibility and initiative which generally lacks in our government departments and organizations that costs us heavily in terms of economic nosedives and otherwise relatively poor performance and mismanagements in key areas and during critical events

The writer is Associate Professor Management Sciences and Head, Center of Islamic Finance, COMSATS University (CUI) Lahore Campus. He may reached at drabdussattar@cuilahore.edu.pk and tweets @drabdussattar

JournaliSM is a profession full of challenges, and choosing it as a career means one has to be really ready to face occupational hazards and threats regularly. reporting an issue in society is not a crime and this is the duty of every citizen. But when journalists report something, especially wrongdoings of some powerful elements in society, they often make enemies more than friends. Feudal lords and white-collar criminals become a threat to them. if a journalist is reporting an issue related to a school, the owners of the school by using their wealth try to suppress it. if a crime or malpractice of a politician is reported, there are repercussions aplenty. a journalist from Kumb city in Khairpur Mirs district was shot dead earlier this year. a local police officer was accused along with three other suspects in the case. the suspects were arrested, but the officer was not. interestingly, the cause of murder is still unknown. this is what happens regularly in many areas and justice is not provided to the victims’ families. We have also seen some veteran journalists being attacked in the past. Journalists strive to point out the ills of society and this is what their job entails. there is nothing wrong with that, but in our country, politicians and moneyed people feel insecure whenever they are questioned and held accountable because they are fearful of a probe into their wrongdoings. no one quite knows what led to the killing of arshad Sharif in Kenya, but there is enough floating in the air to have the matter investigated thoroughly. it is good to know that the government has already formed a team to investigate the matter. Having said that, such inquiries are reserved for only the well-known names. Journalists doing their professional assignments in the more lethal and dangerous environment of rural Pakistan face threats as a matter of routine, but hardly anybody comes to their rescue or help. even their deaths go unnoticed just because they don’t happen to be famous. Providing protection to its citizens is the duty of the state. that being so, the security of all journalists must be ensured, or there may not be anyone left to project the voice of the oppressed and the victimised. SARANG LATIF KARACHI

Failing postal service tHe colonial rulers had introduced postal services in india in July 1852. a letter costing two paisas was delivered efficiently in every corner of the subcontinent. We inherited this excellent people-friendly system in 1947. the officials trained by the colonial masters maintained the system and expanded it with the increase in population and the establishment of new cities/towns/villages across the country. unfortunately, the standard of postal services has declined over the years. For example, in Chaklala Cantonment, letter boxes on Jhelum road, lal Kurti Bazaar, Firdousi road, adyala road, Sarwar road, Chaklala Scheme iii, etc., have either been removed or shifted to the side lanes. one of them has been moved to a restricted area that is inaccessible to citizens. the net result is the promotion of expensive private courier services which may be good enough for the well-off, but certainly not for the poor. the authorities concerned should take notice of this decline in postal services, and work on setting things right for the welfare of the poor. also, a sudden increase in postage charges, like from rs8 to rs20, should be reconsidered urgently in order to provide relief to the poor. M. AKRAM NIAZI RAWALPINDI

Cholera outbreak tHe World Health organisation (WHo) has raised concerns over cholera outbreak in Balochistan, which has affected 16 districts this year, including turbat. at least 13,149 cholera cases have so far been reported in turbat alone; mostly affecting women and children. Cholera is an acute infectious disease caused by contaminated water and unhealthy food. it can be fatal if the patients do not receive proper treatment at an early stage. therefore, it is imperative to raise awareness about preventive measures, such as drinking potable water, eating healthy food, and, most importantly, providing proper medical treatment to the patients. Hospitals in turbat are already receiving a lot of cholera patients. Some patients from rural areas are referred to urban hospitals for proper treatment due to lack of staff, medicines, beds and other facilities. Many of them suffer on the way due to the poor conditions of the roads. the exact figure of patients in rural areas has been missing as many cases go unreported. Cholera requires immediate attention because it can be fatal if left untreated. the health department must ensure the availability of medicines and funds to meet the needs of the patients. the government should also conduct aware-ness campaigns to educate the people and to control the rising number of cases. BURHAN RAUF TURBAT

08 WORLD VIEW 5th November 22_Layout 1 11/4/2022 9:54 PM Page 1

Saturday, 5 November, 2022

08 WORLD VIEW

corporate greed, not inflation, is economic crisis CORPORATE GREED IS AT A 70-YEAR HIGH AND OIL COMPANIES ARE BUYING BACK STOCK, NOT LOWERING PRICES

Fox nEWs Sen. Bernie SanderS

S we enter the final week of the midterm election, voters are expressing deep concern about the state of the economy and inflation. They should. Today, we live in an economy in which the billionaires are getting much richer while working families fall further behind. unbelievably, while 60 percent of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, we now have more income and wealth inequality than we have ever had in the history of our country – with three multi-billionaires owning more wealth than the bottom half of Americans. While employers squeeze workers and their unions for cuts to health care and other benefits, the CEos of major corporations now make nearly 400 times more than their average employees – the largest employerworker gap in our history. During this campaign, my republican colleagues talk a lot about inflation, and they are right to do so. over the last year, Americans have become sick and tired of paying outrageously high prices for food, gas, health care, prescription drugs, housing and other necessities. unfortunately, most republicans completely ignore the underlying causes of inflation and the few “solutions” they do offer would make a bad situation even worse. Yes. During this political season it is easy to blame President Joe Biden and Democrats for inflation. But that’s just not accurate. Let’s be clear. Inflation is not unique to America. It is an international crisis. In the European union, inflation is nearly 11%. In Germany, it is 11.6%. In the united Kingdom it is 10.1%. In Ireland, it’s 9.6%. In America, it’s 8.2%, much too high, but lower than it is throughout much of Europe. The truth is that inflation is, to a significant extent, caused by the ongoing global pandemic, the break in international supply chains and the horrific war in ukraine. But there is another major reason for inflation that too few people talk about. And that is the unprecedented level of corporate greed that we are now seeing. According to a recent study, nearly 54% of the rise in inflation is directly attributable to the astronomical increase in corporate profit margins. In America today, while the working class struggles to put food on the table, fill up their gas tanks and heat their homes, corporate profits are at a 70-year-high. If you want to know why you are paying $4, $5, $6 for a gallon of gas, you should know that the profits of Exxon-

Mobil, Chevron, BP and Shell skyrocketed by 169% so far this year to $125 billion. These four huge oil companies are spending over $73 billion not to reduce gas prices at the pump but to buy back their own stock and increase dividends to their wealthy stockholders. If you are wondering why you are paying 43% more for an airline ticket this year, you should know that profits are up 186% at American Airlines and 99% at united Airlines in the third quarter to nearly $1.5 billion. Yes. These are the same companies that received taxpayer assistance of more than $20 billion during the pandemic while cutting 6,400 jobs. If you are wondering why global food prices skyrocketed by over 33% last year and are expected to go up another 23% this year, you should know that billionaires in the global food and agri-business industry became $382 billion richer during the pandemic. If you are wondering why we continue to pay, by far, the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs, you should know that Pfizer has increased its profits by 42% so far this year to $26.4 billion. Even though inflation is an international problem, my republican colleagues want to blame rising prices on Democratic spending – especially the $1.9 trillion American rescue Plan passed in March 2021. Well, before you accept that argument, I urge you to remember where we were at that terrible and painful moment in American history. As the worst pandemic in modern history raged across the country, over 3,000 Americans were dying from CoVID-19 every single day and millions, including many with inadequate health insurance, were getting sick. Doctors and nurses lacked adequate personal protective equipment and many hospitals, flooded with CoVID-19 patients, were on the verge of collapse. Further, as a result of the pandemic, in early 2021 the united States was suffering its worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Twenty-four million Americans were unemployed, under-employed or had given up looking for work. Hunger in America was at its highest level in decades. Millions of Americans were in danger of being evicted from their homes. Hundreds of thousands of small businesses all over the country were on the verge of going bankrupt. As the chairman of the Budget Committee, I apologize to no one for helping to pass this bill in the Senate – without one republican vote. At a time of an unprecedented health and economic crisis caused by the pandemic, the American rescue Plan did exactly what a democratic government in a civilized society is supposed to do: respond to the needs of people living in fear and desperation. I apologize to no one that we provided every working class American and their children with a $1,400 direct payment to get them through the economic crisis they were experiencing. I apologize to no one that we extended unemployment benefits and provided an extra $300 a week to Americans who had lost their jobs. I apologize to no one that we expanded the Child Tax Credit that provided $300

a month per child to working families so that parents could raise their kids with a modicum of security. I apologize to no one that we prevented hospitals from closing their doors during the pandemic, fed the hungry, prevented evictions and foreclosures and made sure every American could receive a CoVID-19 vaccine for free. While republicans continue to criticize the $1.9 trillion American rescue Plan that helped struggling working class families in a time of economic desperation, it is fair to ask what they are proposing to do if they gain control over the House and the Senate? And here’s the answer. Almost all of them, from Senate republican leader Mitch McConnell on down, want to provide billionaires a tax break worth up to $1.75 trillion by completely repealing the estate tax. The estate tax only applies to the wealthiest of the wealthy, the top one-tenth of one percent of American families who inherit over $25 million. In other words, 99.9% of Americans would not benefit at all from the repeal of the estate tax. If the estate tax was repealed, Elon Musk’s family would receive a tax break of up to $80 billion alone. Now, I don’t know who Musk’s kids are and I have nothing against them. I wish them well. But they don’t deserve a tax break of up to $80 billion. How would republicans pay for this $1.75 trillion tax break to billionaires? They would pay for it by making massive cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. This year, the 158-member republican Study Committee in the House proposed cutting Medicare by $2.8 trillion and Social Security by $729 billion. An increasing number of republicans have even threatened to default on our nation’s debt unless they are able to enact cuts to Social Security and Medicare. How absurd is that? No. You don’t reduce inflation by giving tax breaks to billionaires and cutting benefits for the elderly, the sick, the children and the poor. You combat inflation by taking on corporate greed and passing a windfall profits tax. You combat inflation by taking on the power of the insurance companies, the drug companies, the fossil fuel industry, the giant food companies and lowering the outrageously high costs of healthcare, prescription drugs, gas and groceries. As the longest serving Independent in congressional history, I’m not going to tell you that Democrats are perfect. Far from it. In a Senate evenly divided 50-50, there are at least two Democrats who have made it clear that they are more interested in protecting corporate interests than the needs of working-class families. That has got to change. right now, more than any time in modern history, we need a Congress that has the courage to take on the wealthy campaign contributors, super-PACs, and lobbyists who work overtime in protecting the interests of billionaires and corporate interests. And that is precisely what Democrats must do if they expand their majority in the House and the Senate. Bernie Sanders is an independent who represents Vermont in the U.S. Senate.

What the decline in academic achievement is all about Washington ExaminEr Kaylee McGhee White

our fourth grader might not know how to read, but at least he knows what the “gender unicorn” is. Student test scores tracked by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the nation’s report card, released this week show an abysmal drop in academic performance across all 50 states. over the past two years, the report found, fourth grade and eighth grade students’ mathematical proficiency suffered the largest decline ever recorded. Just 26% of eighth graders are now able to perform math competently. Pandemic school closures were certainly a factor in this decline, though even states that reopened quickly weren’t spared. Nevertheless, the data do show a statistically significant correlation between long closures and poor test scores. For example, eighth grade students in states that returned to in-person learning quickly performed better in mathematics than their peers in states that remained locked down. But the decline in academic achievement began well before the pandemic reached the united States. If anything, school closures exacerbated the failures within the education system that already existed. Those failures include a shift away from meritocratic standards of achievement, such as the 50% rule used in Washington, D.C., that prohibits teachers from assigning students a grade lower than 50%, and the introduction of woke curricula, including critical race theory and radical gender ideology. The latter problem is the most widely talked about and with good reason: It represents a deliberate decision on the part of educators to replace traditional subjects with ideological objectives. Hence, why it is likely that the average elementary school student has, at some point, been exposed to the “gender unicorn,” a graphic that teaches children about “gender fluidity” or the idea that one can be a gender different than one’s sex. But can those same elementary students pass a math exam? According to the NAEP’s scores, probably not. Some might say all of this is the result of distorted priorities. But it’s more than that: It’s part of a concerted effort to turn our schools into a political machine that, instead of producing intelligent and capable young adults, churns out students who cannot read, write, add, subtract, or, most importantly, think for themselves. Kaylee McGhee White is Commentary Writer & Deputy Editor of Restoring America.

russia and afghanistan’s partnership of convenience IT IS WORTHWHILE NOTING THAT RUSSIA’S UNWILLINGNESS TO OFFICIALLY RECOGNISE THE TALIBAN AS THE LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT OF AFGHANISTAN AND ITS CLASSIFICATION OF THE TALIBAN AS A TERRORIST ORGANISATION SINCE 2003 HAVE NOT HINDERED THEIR BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP SO FAR East asia Forum claudia chia yi en

HE signing of a provisional deal between russia and the Taliban in September 2022 marks the Taliban’s first known major international economic deal. But beyond the announcement that russia will supply gas, oil and wheat to Afghanistan, the payment and pricing details have not been released to the public. How the two countries will navigate international sanctions and their exclusion from the global banking system remains unclear. This deal comes against the backdrop of active trade talks between the Taliban and its regional neighbours and russia’s discussions with several non-Western countries on long-term oil contracts. The economic value of Afghanistan–russia trade relations might be dismal, but more bilateral engagements and partnerships are a positive diplomatic asset for russia and the Taliban. They show the international community that neither country is isolated. The Taliban has been striving to diversify its trading partners and enhance relations with its regional neighbours. International sanctions, followed by the freezing of assets by the united States, have affected Afghan businesses. Since August 2021, the economy has shrunk by 20 to 30 per cent. The ongoing humanitarian crisis, along with an increase in violent attacks by other militant parties, has worsened living conditions. The incoming win-

ter pressures the Taliban to hastily secure oil and gas imports. Negotiations with Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan are ongoing. In July 2022, the Afghan Ministry of Commerce and Industry signed a contract with a Turkmenistan oil company to supply fuel at a discount and inked an agreement with Iran to purchase oil. The Taliban initially had high expectations for Chinese investment, but this has not materialised. Beijing remains reluctant to invest and harbours suspicions about the Taliban’s commitment to cut ties with the Turkistan Islamic Party, formerly known as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement. Khan Jan Alokozay, the vice president of Afghanistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Investment, publicly stated that ‘there has not even been a penny of investment by China’. russia is a natural choice for the Taliban because it is an existing trade partner with significant energy resources. The Taliban has remained neutral regarding the ukraine–russia conflict, officially calling for restraint on both sides. Despite being bogged down in the ukraine crisis and facing ongoing European disentanglement from its oil and gas, the russian economy seems to be resilient against these shocks. In September 2022, the International Monetary Fund forecasted that russia’s GDP will decline by 3.4 per cent, an adjustment from its earlier forecast of an 8.5 per cent fall. russian oil companies have been enticing non-Western buyers with discounts, insurance coverage and alternative payment schemes. Countries like Sri Lanka, India, Turkey and China have continued to purchase oil from russia amid international sanctions. Cheaper prices are attractive for countries facing rising inflation, supply chain disruptions and economic setbacks due to the

CoVID-19 pandemic. The october 2022 clash between Saudi Arabia and Washington over plans by the oPEC+ to cut oil production also drew speculations within the uS that riyadh is siding with Moscow. Despite their provisional trade deal, it does not appear that the Kremlin will officially recognise the Taliban. The clearest indication yet is the exclusion of the Taliban from the September 2022 Shanghai Cooperation organisation (SCo)’s summit in Samarkand, uzbekistan. Whether Afghanistan will retain its observer status at the SCo is unknown, given that the international community has not recognised the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. Aside from issuing statements on helping the Afghan economy, the summit discussions highlighted that the region is more concerned with how best to protect themselves against any potential spillover of violence from Afghanistan. russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly expressed his wariness of militants camouflaging as refugees from Afghanistan crossing into neighbouring states and plotting acts of terror. The socalled Islamic State (IS) has reportedly increased its antirussia propaganda. They have lambasted russia as a ‘crusader government’ and ‘enemy of Islam’, actively encouraging their supporters to inflict harm on the country. The 5 September suicide bombing of the russian embassy in Kabul exemplified russian concerns about the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP)’s expanding presence in Afghanistan. That was the first attack on a foreign embassy since the Taliban takeover of Kabul in August 2021. other than undermining russia’s legitimacy, IS and ISKP are also challenging Taliban rule within Afghanistan. Since 2014, both the Kremlin and the

Taliban have shared the view that IS poses a significant threat. russian officials have publicly acknowledged exchanging information with the Taliban regarding IS. reports of former Taliban and Central Asian fighters joining IS ranks have added to the severity of the security threat. The expansion of IS and its anti-russia messaging further undermine russia’s sphere of influence in Muslim-dominated Central Asia. The Taliban still calls for international recognition of its status as the government of Afghanistan. But with the economy in limbo and ongoing hostilities with militant organisations, it is aware that it needs to prioritise the flow of aid and resources into the country. Political and socioeconomic stability is of paramount importance for the Taliban if it is to maintain its hold on Afghanistan. It is worthwhile noting that russia’s unwillingness to officially recognise the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan and its classification of the Taliban as a terrorist organisation since 2003 have not hindered their bilateral relationship so far. For the time being, russian–Taliban engagement will continue. The Taliban views russia as an attractive economic partner that could offer the cheaper oil and gas supplies that the Afghan economy desperately needs. For russia, the Taliban is the most stable option in the region’s evolving security matrix and, for now, the only party that could curb the expansion of IS. Both sides have no reason to give up these benefits. Claudia Chia Yi En is a Research Analyst at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore.

Saturday, 5 November, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

NEWS corporate corner

Pakistan looks forward to benefit from eu exPertise in renewable energy: dastgir ISLAMABAD

f Jazz CEO Aamir Ibrahim and UN Women’s Country representative Sharmeela Rassool at signing ceremony for a digital empowerment program targeting women-led microbusinesses in underprivileged. PR

staff RePoRt

EDERAL minister for Power Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan held a meeting with a delegation of European Parliamentarians here today. Federal minister briefed the delegation about the rehabilitation efforts done in flood affected areas. The tireless efforts of Ministry of Energy enabled early restoration of electricity in the worst hit areas. Minister highlighted that climate change is no more a theory but a real disaster for Pakistan. Despite minimum share in world pollution, Pakistan had to face the brunt of Climate change. Engr. Khurram

Dastgir Khan apprised the delegation of the present government's solar policy.

He stressed that every new generation capacity will be based on indigenous re-

Pbs to start plying Hyder Chowk - Hatri route by month end: sharjeel memon

Amer Zia, CDO K-Electric, shares his thoughts on importance and need of distribution network digitization at a seminar on technology and market developments in the power technology domain organized by Hitachi Energy. He also briefed the audience on the digitalization initiatives being implemented in KE Distribution which includes SAP, AMI, and GIS. PR

Karachi: After Karachi and Larkana, citizens of Hyderabad will get modern commuting and affordable facility as route 1 for People's Bus Service has been finalized for Hyderabad covering 15 kilometers from main city center Hyder Chowk to Hatri Police station said minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon in his tweet on Friday. He added that 15 bus stops will be established on the route. The People's Bus Service will run from Hyder Chowk to Gul Center, Thandi Sadak, Agriculture Complex, Wahdat Colony, Sindh Museum, Qasim Chowk, Jail Road, Isra Hospital and terminate at Hattri Police Station. ' As promised, the People's Bus Service is being expanded throughout the province so that every citizen can benefit from the best travel facility. Insha Allah, People's Bus Service will be formally launched in Hyderabad by the end of current month,' the minister said. PR

Murad okays Rs46.3b to re-build 71 flood damaged roads KARACHI staff RePoRt

ZTBL President Muhammad Shahbaz Jamil presents a cheque of Rs20m to Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Nawabzada Shazain Bugti for flood affectees. PR

students of forman Christian College bring home most prestigious P@sHa iCt award for first time A group of thriving undergraduate students – Hassan Shakoor Rana, Ahmed Yasser and Rifa Salman – transformed a thesis, conducted by Mr. Sharoon Nasim, into an android mobile application, and won the P@SHA Gold Award - Tertiary Students category after competing against 90 projects. Under the supervision of Dr. Aasia Khanum, Dr. Sidra Minhas principles of Natural Language Processing to convert English/Urdu text and voice inputs into PSL so the deaf can better access day-to-day communication with their hearing counterparts. The aim of Sunno is to provide real-time translation to sign language without any dependency on a live interpreter. Successful use of this application will result in better communication between the deaf and their families; educationalists; companies employing the deaf; ease home schooling of deaf children; provide sign language learning for hearing people; and increase employment opportunities for the deaf. The theme of this application has already attained recognition at various venues, including 2nd place award at 3MT Computer Project Exhibition & Competition (COMPSEC, 2022) held at NUST Islamabad, Best Project at Computer Science Senior Project Exhibition (COMPSPEX-22) held at FC College, Lahore and now P@SHA ICT Awards. The Department of Computer Science is actively expanding on Sunno’s success, in collaboration with Deaf Reach and FCC ORIC, by adding complementing features and additions. PR

PmC determined to produce qualified doctors The Pakistan Medical Commission strives to improve healthcare education through the advancement of quality medical and dental education in Pakistan. The healthcare regulator is setting benchmarks in line with global best practices to ensure quality healthcare for every citizen of our great nation. PMC has set standards of excellence & continues to work towards implementing them in every Medical and Dental institute across Pakistan for both undergraduate and postgraduate education. It is the right of the patient to be treated well by a professional practitioner doctor/dentist. PMC is dedicated to improving the medical/health care delivery standards so that doctors/dentists can serve the patients well in a more efficient and professional manner. PMC has taken it upon itself to create a healthcare delivery system that has the infrastructure, resources, and healthcare practitioners in per with global best practices to ensure every Pakistani citizen receives quality patient care. PR

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved the overhauling and reconstruction of 71 roads damaged by heavy rains/floods at Rs 46.3 billion so that works could start at the earliest. “The overhauling of the damaged roads, particularly the small ones connecting farms to market, villages to the main roads are important for the easy access of the people for the revival of the economy.” This he said while presiding over a meeting here at CM House on Friday. The meeting was attended by Minister Works Zia Abbas Shah, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, PSCM Fayaz Jatoi, Secretary Works Imran Atta, and chief engineer roads. The chief minister was told that 71 roads in 23 districts with an overall length of 1473.38 kilometers have been damaged by the heavy rains

and floods. They include six roads of 157.7 km in district Jamshoro, five roads of 149.27 km in Dadu, three of 106.6 km in Shaheed Benazirabad, nine of 137 km Naushehroferoze, two of 20.4 km in Hyderabad, six of 93.8 km in Tando Allahyar, one of 19 kilometers of TM Khan, four of 65 km in Thatta, two of 55.5 km in Sujawal, on of 71 km in Badin, two of 80 km

in Mirpurkhas, one of 20 km in Umrkot, three of 46 km in Sanghar, one of 35 km in Tharparkar, fine of 58 km in Sukkur, one of 9 km in Ghotki, two of 23 km in Khairpur, three of 67 km Shikarpur, three of 45.45 km in Jacobabad, three of 52.29 km Kashmore-Kandhkot, five of 92.65 km Larkana, and three of 67.2 km in KamberShahdadkot. Minister Works Zia Abbas Shah told the chief minister that the estimated cost of the roads has been worked out at Rs 46.32 billion. The chief minister approved the scheme and directed the chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi to finalize the formalities and get the work started at the earliest. It was also pointed out that the Asian Development Bank 9ADB) has also agreed to finance the repair of some major roads of the province for which necessary documentation was being completed.

Saudi, Turi envoy discuss job opportunities for Pakistanis in KSA ISLAMABAD staff RePoRt

Labor Attaché of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan, Majid Baker Friday called on Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Sajid Hussain Turi to discuss employment opportunities for Pakistani professionals in Saudi Arabia, welfare and problems of Pakistani citizens in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in detail. During the meeting, both the dignitaries also discussed other matters of mutual interest, a news release said. The Labor Attaché apprised about the features of Saudi Arabia’s new Labor Policy which was highly appreciated by the minister. The minister emphasized on increasing the quota of Pakistani manpower adding Pakistan had available skilled manpower in all sectors and was ready to meet the manpower requirements of Saudi Arabia. The Skill Verification Program recently launched by both countries will ensure maximum export of skilled workers and professionals. Secretary Workers Welfare Board, Manag-

ing Director Pakistan Employment Corporation, Joint Secretary and other officers were also present in the meeting. The minister admired the decision of Saudi Arabia to appoint a Labor Attaché in Pakistan. “I am happy that Saudi Arabia has appointed for the first time a Labor Attaché to Pakistan. Pakistan has always been proud of its friendly and brotherly relations with Saudi Arabia,” he added. Majid Bakr appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development for labor’s and said, “After ending the condition of the sponsor Pakistani labor will go to Saudi Arabia by signing a contract with the company. Under the new policy, labor will also be able to change companies. The Saudi government is providing maximum facilities to the labor.” Turi commended the revolutionary reforms in Saudi Arabia’s labor policy. He emphasized that Saudi Arabia should increase the quota of Pakistani workers. He further said that Pakistanis imprisoned in Saudi Arabia due to minor crimes and lack of documents must be released.

sources. In this regard, Pakistan hopes to benefit from European expertise particularly in replacing fuel plants. The MEPs appreciated the solar initiative and called it a step in right direction. The delegation expressed high hopes for further strengthening of ties between Pakistan and EU. Minister pointed out that green financing should be made accessible for countries hit by climate change. He urged that a separate fund for emergency rehabilitation should be created in events of Climate catastrophe.The delegation also agreed to the idea that world needs to provide active support for Climate crisis. The Delegation comprised of MEP Herve Juvin and MEP Virginie Joron.

ke swoops on electricity theft in osmania Colony Karachi: KE Distribution Teams recently conducted an operation against illegal electricity connections in Karachi’s Osmania Colony, where 12 kilograms of wires were removed. These wires, and associated illegal infrastructure, were found to completely bypass KE’s safety protocols and creating a safety hazard for the public at large. KE continues to raise awareness against unsafe practices and unauthorized actions on its network which create dangerous conditions for ordinary citizens and can result in damage to property and even injury. The utility’s transmission and distribution infrastructure is installed by qualified professionals in compliance with the strictest safety protocols and all Right of Way (RoW) permissions. Across the city, KE’s distribution teams undertake activities to protect its infrastructure and ensure a stable and secure supply of electricity. PR

shell celebrates 75 years in Pakistan

Karachi: Being the oldest energy company in the country, with a strong and rich legacy, Shell Pakistan hosted a ceremony to celebrate its 75 years in Pakistan, together with its employees, partners, industry leaders, business professionals and academia. The ceremony also included Shell Tameer Awards 2022, a nationwide contest to recognise the best and the brightest young entrepreneurs in Pakistan. This year, over 250 applications were received for the awards program and 30 finalists were shortlisted in six award categories. The finalists presented their pitches to an expert jury of diverse professionals who selected this year’s winners and runners-up in each of the six award categories. The Chief Executive & Managing Director of Shell Pakistan Limited, Waqar Siddiqui stated: “This year marks the 75th year since Pakistan’s creation, and 75 years of Shell powering progress with our beautiful country. Shell Pakistan has been here since 14th August, 1947, a story that not many share with us. We have partnered with the country to build and grow. Today, we come together to celebrate an incredible milestone; and to celebrate each one of you who have contributed towards this journey. We are honoured to play a part in shaping our country’s past successes and future opportunities.’ He also added, ‘We are proud of the young Pakistani entrepreneurs and the winners today. PR

iesCo issues power suspension schedules for 5th and 6th According to Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO)’s spokesman, System Maintenance/Development Work is in process. Therefore power supply of below mentioned feeders/areas will be temporary suspended as per given schedule: On 05th November, From 09:00 AM to 02:00 PM, T&T, Treat, Bhara Kaho-II, Anguri, Shahpur, Shahdara, Mangyal, Golf City, DESTO, NCP, Athal, EME Complex, P& T Wini, Jhangi, Azharabad, CWO Feeders, From 09:00 AM to 04:00 PM, Supreme Court, Civics Centre, Royal Enclosure, Parliament Lodges, Convention Centre, HBL/MCB, Chaina Embassy, Rabnawaz Shaheed, Anjara, Maqsood. Shaheed, Chhab, Aminpur, Maira Sharif, Dhakner Feeders, From 08:00 AM to 04:00 PM, Birut Gala, Durbar Mai Toti, Khoi Rata City, Chirohi Express, Dana Bhal, Chirohi Dongee, Sri, City, Kariala, Jandrot Dabsi, Datot, Majajan, Charohi Feeders, On 06th November, From 09:00 AM TO 04:00 PM, F-6/2, PM Secretariat, CBR, PM Staff Colony, Blue Area, OGDC, Quaid-Azam University, Saudi Embassy, Residential Embassy feeders and 132KV New Islamabad International Airport (T-1) Consumer grid station and surroundings will remain closed. IESCO management apologizes to its esteemed customers for the power outage. If the work is completed ahead of time, the power supply can be restored even before the scheduled time. PR

Saturday, 5 November, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

10 FOREIGN NEWS

China, Germany hiGhliGht Cooperation ‘in times of ChanGe anD instability’ BEIJING

Agencies

ERMAN Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the first EU leader to come to Beijing after the successful convening of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, paid an official visit to China on Friday. Noting the complex and fluid international landscape, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Scholz that the two major countries, with great influence, should work together “in times of change and instability” and contribute more to global peace and development. Scholz stressed that his country hopes to maintain communication and coordination with China to better safeguard regional and world peace and security. China-Germany Cooperation benefits eU, and the world: As Germany is a pivotal country in the EU, the continent’s prosperity is closely associated with

Germany, and thus deepening ChinaGermany and China-EU cooperation will serve the interests of both sides and beyond. During their meeting, Xi stressed that China is ready to work with Germany to build a future-oriented allround strategic partnership and push for new progress in China-Germany and China-EU relations. China and Germany should respect each other, accommodate each other’s core interests, adhere to dialogue and consultation, and jointly resist the interference of camp confrontation, Xi said. China is ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Germany and the EU in international affairs and jointly find solutions to global issues such as climate change, biodiversity protection and food security, said the president. Scholz said that the world needs a multi-polar pattern and the role and influence of emerging countries should be taken seriously.

Delhi’s air a ‘crime against humanity’, spurs calls to close schools

Germany opposes camp confrontation, he stressed. Meanwhile, the two leaders also exchanged views on the crisis in Ukraine. China supports Germany and the EU in playing an important role in promoting peace talks and building a balanced, effective and sustainable European security framework, Xi said. “This is a critical moment for both Germany and China. Their relationship may not be based on shared political values, but on reciprocal interests, on the common fight against climate change and the strong willingness to build a multilateral world,” said Song Xin, former political adviser at the European Parliament, in an article published on CGTN. Liu Lirong, an associate professor at the Institute of International Studies of Fudan University also told CGTN that China-Germany cooperation not only benefits the EU but also the world. “China is the second largest economy in the world, and Germany is the largest economy in the EU. Chinese-

German cooperation is of great significance in addressing many global challenges such as climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and global food security,” Liu said. The German chancellor’s visit coincides with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Germany. Over the past 50 years, China-Germany practical cooperation has deepened, and bilateral trade has grown by nearly a thousand-fold, Xi said, adding that the two sides should continue to make the “pie” of common interests bigger. In this regard, he highlighted revitalizing cooperation in new areas such as new energy, artificial intelligence and digitalization while expanding the potential of cooperation in traditional areas. Scholz said that China is an important economic and trade partner of Germany and Europe, and his country is ready to deepen economic and trade cooperation with China.

President Raisi: US plays leading role in fanning flames of wars, causing bloodshed

NEW DELHI Agencies

TEHRAN

Delhi’s 20 million residents were effectively breathing smoke on Thursday as the air quality index (AQI) breached the “severe” and “hazardous” categories in nearly all monitoring stations of the Indian capital, raising calls to close schools. The AQI exceeded 450 at many places early in the day, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board. A reading over 400 affects healthy people, with serious impacts on those with existing diseases, the federal government says. The index was over 800 in some pockets of the city, according to data from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee. “What is happening with air pollution in Delhi is nothing short of a crime against humanity!” author and socialite Suhel Seth wrote on Twitter. “There’s a total collapse of accountability!” The world’s most polluted capital is blanketed in smog every winter as cold, heavy air traps construction dust, vehicle emissions and smoke from the burning of crop stubble in the neighbouring states to clear the fields for the next crop. Lower temperatures, calmer winds and their changing direction worsen the air quality from time to time. Parents and environmentalists on social media demanded schools to be closed. “I know children don’t vote for you, but still, requesting all the chief ministers of Delhi (capital region) to immediately SHUTDOWN all the schools,” environmental activist Vimlendu Jha wrote on Twitter. “It’s not NORMAL to breathe 500+ AQI, not for our children, where every third child already has some pulmonary challenge.”

Agencies

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi commemorated the anniversary of Aban 13, the National Student Day and the Day of Fight against Global Arrogance on Friday and said that the US plays the leading role in fanning the flames of wars and causing bloodshed worldwide. Addressing the participants of National Student Day rallies, which is the anniversary of the takeover of the former US Embassy in Iran, President Raisi underscored that today is the day to fight global arrogance. Raisi added that arrogance is egoism and selfishness. He noted that today is a symbol and manifestation of the arrogance of the dominant system of the US, which was described by the late founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini as “the great evil” The Iranian president said that the US is willing to destroy many people all over the world to serve its interests. He said that Iran gained freedom 43 years ago and is determined not to be held in captivity, adding that the Islamic Republic of Iran will not become their “milk cows”. Pointing out that the great nation of Iran put the fight against tyranny and colonialism on the

agenda with its glorious revolution, the President stated, “After the defeat of internal tyranny in February 1979, if it were not for the great movement of students with the insight of Imam Khomeini’s line on November 11, the fight against colonialism would remain incomplete.” Speaking before noon on Friday at the ceremony to commemorate the National Day of Fighting Arrogance, Ayatollah Raisi referred to the emphasis of Islamic religious culture to avoid arrogance, self-conceit, and selfishness, and said, “If a person is caught up in arrogance and pharaohism, he only sees himself and his own interests, even if the interests of many people are endangered or lost.” Pointing out that the Holy Quran, the Imams, and religious leaders have warned all people not to fall into arrogance and pharaohism, the President added, “Arrogance not only causes the downfall of an individual but also

causes the downfall of a society.” President Raisi described the symbol and manifestation of arrogance today to be the domination system ruling over America, which the late Imam Khomeini interpreted as the great devil, and stated, “America is ready to destroy many nations and people everywhere in the world in order to achieve its interests.” In this regard, the President stressed and attracted the attention of the nations to the danger of arrogance, “The great nation of Iran, with its glorious revolution, put the fight against tyranny and colonialism on the agenda, and on February 1979, the tyrannical government supported by the Arrogant, ended, but if it weren’t for the great movement of students following Imam Khomeini’s path, the fight against colonialism would have been incomplete.” Ayatollah Raisi also considered the day of the fight against global arrogance as a symbol of the authority and oppression of the great nation of Iran and noted, “November 11th is the anniversary of the exile of the great leader of the Iranian nation, the anniversary of the martyrdom of a group of dear students and the day of students and the anniversary of the movement with the insight of our students and the day of fighting against arrogance.”

China’s ties with pakistan are ‘none of your business’, expert tells Us WASHINGTON Agencies

The Chinese feel that the United States should not urge China and Pakistan to renegotiate Beijing’s debt and should not ‘bad mouth’ the Pakistan-China relationship, says Ms Yun Sun, Director of the China programme at the Stimson Centre. Speaking at a two-day seminar on US-Pakistan relations, Chinese foreign policy expert Ms Yun Sun said Pakistan’s relationship with the US was a factor in China’s overall strategy for South Asia, but “China has plenty of confidence that its relationship with Pakistan is going to continue regardless of the modality of US-Pakistan relations.” She, however, said that China was also adjusting or recalibrating its policy and expectations towards Pakistan, especially in terms of the CPEC. “And from that recalibration, there’s almost a welcoming attitude in China that Pakistan should re-balance its external strategy. And there’s a welcoming attitude that Pakistan is reaching out to the United States again,” Ms Yun said. “This readjustment of Pakistan’s expectations and external alignment strategy has much approval in China,” she asserted. The Chinese, she said, did not believe that the recalibration of US-Pakistan relations would come at the expense of China’s interests in the region “because India’s still there and because CPEC will remain one of the most significant campaigns regardless of how people feel about it.” About China’s reaction to US-Pakistan interactions, she said, “[it] has more to do with what the US has said, rather than what Pakistan has said”. “This is none of your business,” said Ms Yun when asked about China’s reaction to the US suggestion that Pakistan should renegotiate its debt with Beijing. She said she had seen multiple analyses from China, claiming that the US intends to sabotage Pakistan-China relations and urged Washington ‘not to bad-mouth PakistanChina” ties. “Dan, is it none of our business?” Moderator Shamila Chaudhary asked another panelist, Daniel Markey of the US Institute of Peace (USIP). “At some level, of course, it is our business … We look at its debt burden… have concerns about the growth of its economy. We see Pakistan going to the IMF and other lenders. So, of course, it’s right that the US asks questions about the other forms of debts that Pakistan holds, including from China,” he said. “Gap in transparency is also a cause of concern for us.” Pakistan’s envoy in Washington, Masood Khan, however, explained how the end of the war in Afghanistan had created an opportunity for Pakistan and the United States to start afresh. “Pakistan-US relations have been de-hyphenated from India and Afghanistan,” said Ambassador Khan in his keynote address at the two-day conference, organised by the Center for Security, Strategy and Policy Research (CSSPR), University of Lahore, the School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, and Engro Corporation here this week. “The US policy in the past was based on regional equilibrium,” the ambassador said, adding that the US relationship with India stood on its own. “We are engaged right now to recalibrate, reenergise and rejuvenate a broadbased relationship in the new technological age,” he said. Others were not as confident. Former Chief of Naval Staff Tahir Afzal suggested correcting past mistakes to build a better relationship. “The relationship needs another event. When there is an event, the relations will be good.

North Korea fires artillery into sea as South Korea, US pledge cooperation SEOUL Agencies

North Korea fired around 80 artillery rounds into a maritime border zone overnight, South Korea said on Friday, as defence ministers from Seoul and Washington vowed to demonstrate determination in the face of a barrage of missile tests by the North. North Korea fired multiple missiles into the sea on Thursday, including a possible failed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), prompting the United States and South Korea to extend air drills that have angered Pyongyang. Beginning shortly before midnight on Thursday, South Korea’s military said it had detected more than 80 artillery rounds fired into the sea by North Korea, in what it says is a violation of a 2018 inter-Korean agreement. The South issued a warning communica-

tion to the North over the firing, the South Korean Ministry of Defence said in a statement. Meeting in Washington, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and South Korean Defence Minister Lee Jong-sup pledged to seek new measures to demonstrate the alliance’s “determination and capabilities” following repeated North Korean provocations, according to a joint statement between the two countries. Tensions have been rising as North Korea has conducted a record number of missile launches this year, including at least 23 on Wednesday alone and the ICBM launch on Thursday. South Korea and the United States also say that North Korea has completed technical preparation to test a nuclear device at any time, in what would be its first nuclear test since 2017. Pyongyang, meanwhile, has condemned allied military drills.

On Thursday, Pak Jong Chon, secretary of the Central Committee of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party, said Washington and Seoul had made a very dangerous decision by extending the exercises, and were “shoving” the situation out of control. “The United States and South Korea will find that they have made a terrible mistake that cannot be reversed,” said Pak. Diplomats said Washington had asked the UN Security Council to convene publicly on North Korea on Friday, a request backed by other council members Britain, France, Albania, Ireland and Norway. North Korea has long been banned from conducting nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches by the Security Council, which has strengthened sanctions on Pyongyang over the years to try to cut off funding for those programs. However, in recent years the 15-member council has been split on how to deal with

North Korea and in May, China and Russia vetoed a US-led push to impose more UN

sanctions in response to North Korean missile launches.

11 Sports 5 NOVEMBER_Layout 1 11/4/2022 11:47 PM Page 1

Saturday, 5 November, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

SPORTS 11

HArIs MIgHT forCe rIZWAN, BABAr To CoMe doWN THe order: seHWAg

Staff RepoRt

MERGING wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Haris stunned the cricketing world with his aggressive batting approach against South Africa in their T20 World Cup 2022 Super 12 match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday. The 21-year-old scored 11-ball 28 with the help of three sixes and two fours, providing Pakistan with a fiery start. Former Indian batting great Virender Sehwag praised the youngster’s intent

and said he might force Pakistan’s Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan to move down the order and occupy the first spot. “The way he [Mohammad Haris] batted, his future is bright. He took on South Africa on Australian pitches. He might have scored 28, but they’re no less than a 60. He could play slowly and could have scored his own runs, but the way he played, was incredible. If he continues playing like this, he might force Rizwan and Babar to come down the order,” Sehwag told Cricbuzz. He added his name to the limited list

of Pakistani batters who hit three sixes in an inning’s powerplay after hitting three. In the first six overs, Imran Nazir and Haider Ali succeeded in hitting the rope three times. Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Shaheen Shah Afridi put on a stunning display as Pakistan defeated South Africa on Thursday by a score of 33 runs (DLS method). Babar Azam decided to bat first and Pakistan put up 185 runs before limiting the Proteas to 109-9 in the allocated 14 overs.

Shahzaib, Naqsh secure gold medals in Int’l Taekwondo C’ship

Maxwell keeps Australia alive in hunt for World Cup semi-finals aDeLaIDe, auStRaLIa Agencies

ISLaMaBaD Agencies

Pakistan’s Shahzaib Khan and female athlete Naqsh Hamdani bagged gold medals in the Combaxx 4th

T20 World Cup: Irish bowler Josh little takes hat-trick against New Zealand Staff RepoRt

Asian Open International Taekwondo Championship (G2) organized by Pakistan Taekwondo Federation here at Liaquat Gymnasium of Pakistan Sports Complex. Shahzaib downed Islamov Zhakhrehan of Kazakhstan 2-0 in the final of -54kg Men’s contest, Khalid

Mehdy of Egypt won the third bronze while his compatriot Omar Sharaky grabbed the fourth bronze. In the -53 kg women’s final, Pakistan’s Naqsh Hamdani overcame and beat Afghanistan’s Meezari Zahro after a sensation contest by 2-1. The third bronze in this category was won by Pakistan’s Fakhra Ali while the fourth bronze was clinched by Muneera Wasti of Somalia. In the -63 kg Men’s final, Iran’s Farzan Falah beat UAE’s Zakaria Ghali to secure gold while the third bronze in this category was clinched by Ibrahim Zaki of Egypt, and the fourth bronze was clinched by Pakistan’s Arbaz Khan. In the -80 kg Men’s final, Alireza Aliari overcame his compatriot Hassan Hashbiri 2-0 to clinch the Gold medal while the third bronze was won by Muhammad Jabbar of Egypt, and the fourth bronze was secured by Pakistan’s Muhammad Adnan. In the -46 kg women’s final, Ana Delo of Timor Leste outclassed Kazakhstan Aidiana 2-0 to secure the Gold medal. The third bronze and fourth bronze were won by Pakistan’s Eesha Safdar and Hannah Syed respectively. In the -47 kg women’s final, Nepal’s Nepal’s Indra Bajneet beat Pakistan’s Maleeha Ali 2-1 to grab the gold medal. The third bronze was won by Sandmali of Sri Lanka while the fourth bronze was won by Bahrain’s Sara Jalab.

Sidra Ameen shatters record score against Ireland Staff RepoRt Pakistan’s opening batters, Muneeba Ali and Sidra Ameen, set a record-breaking partnership for Pakistan at Gaddafi Sta-

Fast bowler Josh Little claimed Ireland’s second hat-trick in T20 internationals against New Zealand at the Adelaide Oval in the T20 World Cup. Little caught Kane Williamson at deep backward square leg for 61, then lbw James Neesham for a duck in the 19th over at Adelaide Oval. He then had all-rounder Mitchell Santner removed lbw with the hat-trick ball, prompting shouts from the growing crowd inside the stadium. Both Neesham and Santner attempted to have their decisions overturned, but the decision review system upheld the wickets, sealing Little’s place in Irish cricket history. Little’s hat-trick was the sixth in T20 World Cup history and the second this year. At last year’s World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, Curtis Campher claimed Ireland’s first T20I hat-trick against the Netherlands.

dium in Lahore to start the three-match ODI series against Ireland at home. Opening batter Sidra Ameen scored 176 runs from 151 deliveries with 20 fours and one six

which is the highest individual score ever for Pakistan and surpassed Javeria Khan’s 133 runs. This is also the fifth-highest ODI individual score in history. In the series opener, the opening pair started strongly and stitched a 221-run opening partnership, with Muneeba Ali scoring 107 runs off 114 balls before falling to Arlene Nora Kelly. The opening pair’s 221-run stand broke Bismah Maroof and Nida Dar’s 181-run fourthwicket partnership against Ireland in Dublin in 2013. It is also worth noting that this is the highest-ever opening partnership for Women in Green, with the previous opening partnership being 158 against Sri Lanka earlier this year.

Glenn Maxwell hit an unbeaten half-century to keep Australia in the hunt for the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup with a tense four-run win over Afghanistan on Friday. The result ensured New Zealand, who outplayed Ireland in the first match of the day in Adelaide, booked their final-four spot from Group 1. The hosts and defending champions Australia now need arch-rivals England to lose their final Super 12 match against Sri Lanka on Saturday to make the semis. Maxwell’s 32-ball 54 lifted Australia to 168-8, a total their bowlers defended by restricting the Afghans to 164-7 at the Adelaide Oval. Rashid Khan hit an unbeaten 48 off 23 balls to make a fist of the chase and he smashed 16 runs off the final over from Marcus Stoinis to keep the home crowd on edge almost right to the end. Australia lost skipper Aaron Finch and Tim David to hamstring injuries and dropped pace bowler Mitchell Starc before being invited to bat first. Naveen-ul-Haq rocked Australia’s top order with the wickets of David Warner, for 28, and the returning Steve Smith, for four, in one over. He returned impressive figures of 3-21. The lefthanded Warner came out firing to smash spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman for three straight boundaries in the second over of the match. He lost fellow opener Cameron Green off Fazalhaq Farooqi, who took two wickets, in the next over but kept up the attack with Mitchell Marsh, who hit 45 off 30 balls. Naveen bowled Warner and four balls later the fast bowler trapped Smith lbw. Marsh attempted to hit back with a six and two fours off Gulbadin Naib but failed to build on it and he fell caught behind to Mujeeb’s mystery spin. Maxwell and Stoinis, who hit Australia’s fastest T20 50 — in 17 balls — in the win over Sri Lanka, then got going against the Afghan bowlers, only for Rashid Khan to break through. Stoinis smashed Rashid for a six over midwicket but soon departed for 25 as Afghanistan kept chipping away. Rahmanullah Gurbaz began the reply by dominating the Australian bowlers. He hit Josh Hazlewood for a four and six in the opening over of the chase. Hazlewood took out Usman Ghani for two and then Gurbaz departed in the third over off Kane Richardson, who replaced Starc for the key clash. Gulbadin Naib, who hit 39 off 23 balls, attempted to put the chase back on track with a few good hits including a six off Green as Afghanistan reached 72-2 in 10 overs and threatened an upset. Naib put on a threatening 58-run stand with Ibrahim Zadran, who made 26, but a direct throw from Maxwell in the deep ran out the dangerman at the non-striker’s run. The wheels then came off the chase with Adam Zampa getting out Ibrahim, for 26, and then Najibullah Zadran in the next three balls. Rashid, coming in at number eight, fought until the end with three fours and four sixes. Afghanistan bowed out of the tournament without a win and two washouts.

New Zealand reach T20 World Cup semi-finals by thrashing Ireland aDeLaIDe stAff RepoRt

Skipper Kane Williamson hit a quickfire half-century to all but take New Zealand into the Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals as they hammered Ireland by 35 runs on Friday. Williamson’s 35-ball 61 propelled New Zealand to 185-6 and their bowlers kept Ireland down to 150-9 to top Group 1 with seven points after their final Super 12 match in Adelaide. Australia, who next play Afghanistan at the same venue, and England can go level on points with New Zealand if they win, but the Black Caps have a far superior net run rate. Only a mathematical miracle can push last year’s beaten finalists out of the last four now, leaving Australia and England to scrap it out. “A really good team performance,

which was required. We knew what Ireland were capable of, they have played some stunning cricket,” said Williamson. The captain led from the front, having failed to convert starts in the earlier matches, as New Zealand dominated on a sunny afternoon despite a stunning hat-trick by Ireland fast bowler Joshua Little. New Zealand were cruising at 174-3 in the 19th over when the left-arm quick removed Williamson, James Neesham and Mitchell Santner on successive balls. It was the second hat-trick of this edition of the World Cup after Karthik Meiyappan of the United Arab Emirates against Sri Lanka in round one. Little’s strikes checked New Zealand’s surge, but Williamson, with his first fifty of this tournament, had already put his team on course for a challenging total. Daryl Mitchell hit an unbeaten 21-ball 31 and put on a key partnership of 60 with

Williamson, who was under scrutiny for his slow batting but smashed five fours and three sixes in his 35-ball knock. Finn Allen and Devon Conway started cautiously against a disciplined Irish bowling attack after being invited to bat first. Allen broke the shackles in the fourth over as he smashed leg-spinner Gareth Delany for three fours including two on consecutive deliveries. He kept up the charge and hit a six and four off fast bowler Mark Adair before the bowler got him caught at mid-off on the next ball as the Kiwis reached 52-1 at the end of six overs. The left-handed Conway found it tough to accelerate despite a couple of boundaries but stood in a 44-run stand with Williamson. New Zealand lost their way in the middle with Delany taking two wickets including Glenn Phillips for 17, but Williamson soon took charge.

Saturday, 5 November, 2022

prAyer Timings

NEWS Govt terms attack on Imran case oF ‘relIGIous extremIsm’, ‘conspIracY aGaInst securItY Forces’ islamabad sTAff reporT

Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Friday that attack on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan is a clear case of religious extremism as the culprit has confessed in his leaked video statement. While addressing the press conference, the minister said that intolerance is being mounted in the country and there is a dire need to curb this menace. “We were facing the issue of religious extremism but now we have come across a new challenge of political extremism,” he added. He further said that Imran Khan should change his attitude. He also said that Imran Khan should re-evaluate his security arrangements and made appropriate changes to beef up the level. While commenting on the leaked video statement of the attacker, he said that making video viral is a dangerous practice. He said that it is matter of concern that FIR of the incident has not been registered so far. He said that perhaps PTI leadership wants to register FIR as per their own wish and desires. The minister said that no efforts were made by the government to halt the long march, adding that the government is afraid of neither Imran Khan

nor long march. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khwaja Asif has said that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf is trying to give a political hue to the gun attack on Imran Khan during Thursday’s long march claiming that the initial report shows a religious fanaticism behind the incident. Taking the floor of National Assembly on Friday, the minister said that the direction of the attack on Imran was being diverted as the party started accusing politicians and a senior officer of a state institution. “The direction of the incident is being diverted to a point where you will not find any culprit of the attack. After sabotaging all this, they (party leaders) have tried to achieve political objectives,” he added. Kh Asif further said that yesterday’s incident brought humiliation for us. “All the world is looking at us that what will become of Pakistan after this incident,” he added. He said that the federal government wanted to expose if there was any conspiracy behind this incident. If an attempt will be made to give a political colour to this incident then these kinds of issues have already buried in history, he added. The defence minister said that the PTI chief time and again said that he was seeing ‘blood’. This incident has occurred under the rule of a ‘dacoit

Food items drive weekly inflation rises to 30.6pc YoY

chief minister’, he said adding that dead bodies were fallen but Allah saved Imran Khan. He called for the formation of a JIT on the assassination attempt on Imran. “We should go after the culprits of the incident instead of going after the politicians, Asif maintained. He said that the PTI chief accused rulers and an officer of a state institution. Only the other day, Imran claimed that he was in contact with the establishment, the defence minister observed adding that he condemned any attempt to use this incident to defame an individual or institution. Earlier in the day, the parliamentarians unanimously condemned the gun attack on Chairman Pakistan Tehreeki-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan in Wazirabad during his Long March in strong words, and called for a transparent probe to unveil the facts behind the incident. While addressing the National Assembly session, the members National Assembly termed the untoward incident as a conspiracy against the security forces and the country to sabotage peace and stability in the country. Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Shazia Marri condemning the incident at National Assembly floor said that the protest was the right of every political party in

democratic countries. She stressed that peaceful protests should not be turned into violence and bloodshed as it was the responsibility of the political leaders to make sensible decisions in such situations. She urged the leaderships of all political parties and especially the PTI to be careful while passing statements about the incident as they should abstain from blaming the national institutions. She demanded a full-fledged investigation of the incident sans any external influence to ensure transparency. “We get this country with lots of sacrifices and bloodshed. The political leadership played vital role in that regard. It is incumbent upon all of us to safeguard our motherland,” she added. She requested PTI Chairman Imran Khan to observe patience over the incident and avoid making any irresponsible statement till the investigation was completed, adding, “You have been the prime minister of Pakistan and now you are also making all-out efforts to regain power through illegal means.” She took exception to the PTI chair and said, “When you [Imran Khan] are in the government you behave like a proud man but when you are not the prime minister then you desecrate every institution not extending favours to you.”

U Microfinance Bank records profit of Rs1.2bn, driven by reversing provisioning

islamabad Agencies

Prices of essential food items, including tomatoes and onions, continued to be a major factor as weekly inflation measured by the Sensitive Price Index (SPI) clocked in at 30.6 per cent year-on-year (YoY) for the week ending on Nov 3, data shared by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) showed on Friday. Last week, YoY inflation was measured at 30.68pc. On a week-on-week basis, inflation rose 0.53pc, down significantly from a record high of 4.13pc last week. The SPI monitors the prices of 51 essential items based on a survey of 50 markets in 17 cities across the country. During the week under review, the prices of 21 items increased, nine decreased and 21 remained unchanged. Vegetable prices have soared across the country in the aftermath of the devastating monsoon floods this year. To combat rising prices, the government had exempted sales tax and withholding tax on the import of tomatoes and onions for a period of four months starting in September. Earlier this week, headline inflation for October clocked in at 26.6pc YoY, over three percentage points higher than last month’s 23.18pc and significantly higher than the 9.2pc in the same month last year. The inflationary trend was driven by a double-digit increase in all sub-indices except communication. Prices of perishable food items and transport remained high, rising to 70.47pc and 53.43pc YoY, respectively.

laHORE AribA sHAHiD

In the midst of uncertain macroeconomic conditions, telecom operator Ufone’s microfinance bank has managed to record a profit of Rs1.2 billion in the first three quarters of 2022. That is an increase in profits of 44 per cent compared to last year for U Bank, despite this year’s floods creating havoc and disrupting the lending business in rural regions across Pakistan. Recording an earnings per share of Rs3.38, compared to Rs2.28 in the same period last year – U Bank has increased its branches to 240 and has 50,000 active point of sales where it operates branchless banking through UPaisa. U Bank’s growth has contributed significantly to the group’s growth. The PTCL Group consists of PTCL services, Ufone 4G, and U Microfinance Bank Limited itself. One interesting reason behind an increase in U Bank’s profit is it taking advantage of

regulatory relaxation on transition to IFRS 9. U Bank used smart accounting tactics to prop up its financial performance by reversing provisions that are to be made on liabilities in its income statement. Usually in situations of floods and other macroeconomic uncertainty, provisioning is increased. U Bank, however, chose not to. IFRS 9 specifies how an entity should classify and measure financial assets, financial liabil-

ities, and some contracts to buy or sell non-financial items. IFRS 9 replaces IAS 39, in laying out recognition and measurement criteria of financial instruments. With the implementation of IFRS 9, the existing provisioning requirement, following incurred loss approach, will be replaced by Expected Credit Loss Provisions that will be based on expected losses on performing as well as non-performing portfolios.

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suzuki joins in as motorbike prices go berserk laHORE DAniyAl AHmAD

Pak Suzuki Motor Company has followed suit after Atlas Honda and Yamaha increased the prices of their entire portfolios earlier this week. The new prices are as follows: The new round of upward price revisions increases the prices on average by 6 per cent or Rs16,667. Looking across the calendar year, this is Suzuki’s fourth price increase for 2022. Prices have increased by 23 per cent or Rs55,333 on average across 2022. Interestingly, Suzuki’s decision has not led to a reduction in year-on-year (YoY) volume similar to the ones seen by Honda Atlas and Yamaha. Suzuki’s nine month volume, based on figures released by the Pakistan Manufacturers Association (PAMA), has increased by 30 per cent YoY from 22,858 units sold to 29,823 units sold. The additional 6,965 units subsequently translates to a 47 per cent YoY increase in sales revenue from Rs7.7 billion to Rs11.42 billion. However, Suzuki’s final earnings have contracted over this time period. Suzuki’s final earnings have contacted YoY by 94 per cent from Rs639 million to Rs38.3 million. Herein lies the problem. The additional sales volume has not translated into similar profitability per unit with the company seeing a YoY decline in both final earnings in both Q2CY22 and Q3CY22. The most likely explanation for the dip in profitability despite the massive increase in sales revenue is that Suzuki cost structure has not handled the inflationary pressure across Pakistan. This is even more so likely given that Suzuki’s earnings dipped from Q2CY22 onwards, which is also when higher inflation rates began to set in. Contextualizing Suzuki’s annual price increase may elucidate upon why they increased their prices by the amount that they did. Suzuki’s aforementioned annual increase of 23 per cent across it’s portfolio pales in comparison to Yamaha’s 50 per cent, and is even below that of Atlas Honda’s 26 per cent despite catering to a market more akin to Yamaha than Atlas Honda. The difference is likely due to Yamaha being the most generous of the Big 3 in terms of its financing options. Keeping the annual increase in line with that of Atlas Honda may, however, also be excessively prudent on Suzuki’s part. Annual sales have indicated that Suzuki’s customers are better able to absorb the price increases. If anything Suzuki has managed to increase the demand for their motorcycles, irrespective of the price they charge. The 23 per cent increase may similarly be easily absorbed by its customer base. However, such an increase may not be able to bridge the dip in actual profitability particularly given that Pakistan is still in the midst of double digit inflation that is unlikely to go down in the immediate months to follow.

Digital freedom under threat again laHORE TAimoor HAssAn

On Tuesday, the federal government tried to quietly pass an amendment that would grant the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) unprecedented power to censor and constrict digital freedom in Pakistan. The amendment, which was made to the FIA Act of 1974, empowers the agency to arrest individuals for posting content on social media that they find is ‘anti-state.’ The state of media freedom in Pakistan is already precarious. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) already has near unrestricted powers to block and control content over the internet. Yesterday, in the aftermath of the heinous attack on former prime minister Imran Khan, PEMRA prohibited news channels from airing PTI leader Asad Umar’s video wherein he named “three suspects” former premier Imran Khan believed were behind the attack on PTI’s convoy in Wazirabad today. Press and television have both been

tightly controlled by the state for a while, but social media has presented a unique problem. On this platform, individuals expressing individual opinions can now be held accountable for their statements and put through investigation and arrest. It goes without saying that if the amendment goes through and stands, it will be a serious dent on freedom of expression in the digital realm — attempts similar to which have been made by previous governments as well. In a report, the Pakistan-based Institute for Research, Advocacy and Development (IRADA) has noted that digital freedom in the country was already on the decline in 2021 due to increasing government controls and threats against online expression. The recent amendment to the FIA Act would be a step in the same direction. “Free speech or expression isn’t an absolute right in Pakistan. Pursuant to Article 19 of the Constitution, it is curtailed by reasonable restrictions imposed by law,” says Barrister Ummar Ziauddin, an Islamabad-

based lawyer. “The restrictions must not only be reasonable, and that the reasonableness is informed by a socio-political culture as well as colonial history of any society, but also that such restrictions must be aimed to achieve specific objectives.” “For instance, in Pakistan reasonable restrictions can be imposed ‘in the interest of the glory of Islam or the integrity, security or defence of Pakistan or any part thereof, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of court, commission of or incitement to an offence.’ With such a broad and discontinuous breath of restrictions, free speech or expression, here is only an illusion. Small wonder then, a draconian penal law such as section 505 of the PPC continues to find space in our legal texts.” What does the amendment change? “Before the amendment, the powers were with the police relating to Section 505 of PPC which deals with attempting to cause mutiny within the army,” says Usama Khilji, director at digital

rights forum Bolo Bhi. “The police would have to take the permission of the cabinet before going ahead and arresting someone. Now that it has been added to the FIA schedule, this means that the FIA does not have to take the permission of the cabinet because FIA being a federal agency can directly go and arrest anyone that they think is creating mutiny among the armed forces through a certain tweet.” The implication, to sum it up according to Khilji, is that by empowering federal investigation agencies, the system of checks and balances and accountability has been weakened and it has been made easy to pick up people that are deemed anti-military. Attempting to cause mutiny is a serious offence that can lead to imprisonment of up to seven years with a fine. However, the discretion to classify what can be construed as mutiny is what is an ongoing cause of concern. Khilji argues that what we are seeing on social media is largely a criticism of the unconstitutional political role of the military, which the citizens have the right to criticise,

Published by Arif Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 051-2204545. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk

and not an attempt at inciting mutiny. The infamous episode of Shehbaz Gill’s arrest for his on-screen comments against the army was construed as an attempt to incite soldiers to cause mutiny and received harsh rebuke even from Gill’s own political party. Shehbaz Gill’s rather ignorant comments made it clear that incitement to mutiny was not acceptable even to the harshest of critics of state institutions. But an attempt to stifle fair criticism, a right guaranteed by the constitution of Pakistan, should be discouraged for the better functioning of state institutions. According to Ummar, section 505 is now being used aggressively to stifle free speech in the digital space giving sweepingly broad powers to the agency to arrest individuals – even for over something as innocuous as a tweet!. “This would have a chilling impact on citizens’ liberties, virtually leaving citizens vulnerable to state’s authoritarianism,” says Ummar. “It is worth reminding, we can face seven years in prison, for a tweet!”